Book Chapter
The government’s furlough scheme ended on 30 September. In many ways it has been very successful, albeit at a cost of almost £70 billion so far. While unemployment has risen and employment fallen since the start of the pandemic, the changes are nowhere near as dramatic as the falls in national income. As the furlough scheme comes to an end, a number of labour market challenges remain. We examine these challenges in detail and draw out key lessons for policymakers.