THE furlough scheme will be extended until the end of March 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed.

The coronavirus job retention scheme will pay up to 80% of a person’s wage up to £2,500 a month.

The Chancellor told the Commons that the policy will be reviewed in January.

The furlough scheme, which has benefited around 9.6 million people since March, had been set to end on 31 October but was extended to cover the new four-week lockdown in England.

Scotland and Wales had argued that it was unfair for the full support package to be available only when England is in lockdown.

The chancellor told the Commons his intention was "to give businesses security through the winter".

About £40bn has been spent on the furlough scheme since it was introduced in March.