11 Jersey businesses pay back funds borrowed through co-funding scheme

More than £80 million was paid out through the scheme in its first six months.  Credit: ITV Channel TV

ITV News can reveal 11 companies in Jersey have repaid money they got from the government to help them through the pandemic.

The businesses have returned a collective quarter of a million pounds paid out through the payroll co-funding scheme.

The system was set up in spring 2020 to subsidise the majority of wages for companies who may otherwise have had to lay off workers. 

In total, so far, £244,000 has been paid back.

More than £80million was paid out through the scheme in its first six months. 

ITV News understands the government will begin publicly naming which companies have subsequently paid back some or all of the money once the scheme is fully closed this summer. 

More than 16,000 people’s pay has been subsidised by government during the pandemic, representing around a quarter of the island’s workforce.