'It means our mortgage can be paid' Relief in Wales as furlough is extended
Employers and employees in Wales have expressed "massive relief" that the furlough scheme has been extended by Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Latest figures show there are around 170,000 workers currently furloughed from their jobs in Wales.
Workers will now continue to receive 80% of their current salary for hours not worked until the end of September.
Coach driver Christine Davies said she "wouldn't be able to survive" without furlough.
She said: "It means our mortgage can be paid and we can eat. I think that's the same for most of my colleagues here as well - we've all got bills to pay.
"If furlough didn't go ahead and we ended up and we ended up going down to part time work we just wouldn't be able to survive."
Christine works for Voel coaches in Rhyl, a family business that has navigated its way through the Covid-19 crisis with help from UK Government schemes like furlough and business grants from the Welsh Government.
Manager Chris Gentle said the business had been "badly affected" during the pandemic because of lockdowns and social distancing rules.
But while the continuation of furlough was a "great relief" he does have concerns over employer contributions.
Chris said: "From July employers will have to pay 10% towards that [furlough] and August and September, 20%.
"We're a coach operator. By then will we be running at full capacity? Probably not with social distancing in place."
Despite the challenge of the last year for businesses like Voel, Chris is hopeful they can get back on their feet.
He said: "The good thing for us is we are still here. Things are hard and will continue to be hard for probably the next 12 to 18 months.
"But as a business we will stay strong and we'll hopefully be traveling again soon."
Mr Sunak said the Welsh Government will be given an extra £740 million in funding for devolved areas through the Barnett formula.
On Wednesday, he also told the Commons the Budget included commitments to funding city and growth deals in North Wales, Mid Wales and Swansea Bay, as well as cash for the Holyhead hydrogen hub and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence in Neath Port Talbot.
The Universal Credit uplift of £20 a week will also continue for a further six months.
The Welsh Government's finance minister Rebecca Evans said Mr Sunak had "done the right thing" in extending the UK-wide support package for businesses, but also said there was "no sign of real long-term help for the most vulnerable in our society" including funding of social care.
Ms Evans said on Twitter: "The Chancellor had the opportunity to make permanent the additional universal credit uplift, but he didn't. And the longer-term changes to personal tax allowances are a stealth tax which will hit the lowest paid hardest.
"The Chancellor has splashed the cash, but none of it on capital investment by the government. The Welsh Government will get precisely nothing in terms of additions to our capital budget."