Julian welcomes Chancellor’s boost for York’s economy, furloughed workers and young jobseekers
July 8, 2020
“As someone who has been pressing for York’s large hospitality and tourism sector to get the support it needs to rebuild, I am delighted the Chancellor has listened by cutting VAT from 20% to just 5% for food and drink, accommodation and attractions. This is just the kind of decisive measure that can make a real difference to saving jobs and supporting businesses in our city, and could benefit some 1175 enterprises across York.
Paying a Job Retention Bonus of £1000 to employers who retain their furloughed employees through to January should also help ensure many of the 24,000 York residents placed on furlough have jobs to come back to.
I warmly welcome the ‘KickStart’ scheme to create 6-month paid work placements for 16-24 year olds at risk of long-term unemployment, and £2000 and £1500 payments to employers to hire new apprentices under-25 and 25-and over. The coronavirus emergency has hit young people especially hard, and targeted programmes of this kind to help them back into work are therefore essential.
The Chancellor’s increase in the stamp duty exemption cut-off from £125,000 to £500,000 will also be of significant benefit to York, where house prices are already above the regional and national average, aiding both households and a range of sectors like the building trade.
Overall, these measures reassure me that the government is taking determined action to help York’s economy recover from the coronavirus shock, responding to lobbying from representatives like me, and I will continue to ensure our city’s urgent needs are met in full.”
