The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has welcomed Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s extra support packages announced today, but has warned that greater clarity is needed to prevent further confusion among business owners.
Tania Bowers, Legal Counsel and Head of Public Policy at APSCo commented:
“Whilst welcoming the Chancellor’s extra support packages announced last week, the delay and lack of formal guidance on the schemes has created a vacuum. With regional lockdowns in varying stages, there is a degree of confusion as to exactly what support is on offer and where, or which support package is most viable when there are so many variations available. While the Chancellor may believe that the regional tiered approach is the right response, our members have clients based across regions and sectors that are able to access differing degrees of aid. And with local authorities in charge of distributing the business grants in their region, this confusion is likely to be exacerbated.
“While we recognise the need to adapt during these unprecedented times, the lack of clarity and delay in support for regions that have been under tier 2 restrictions for some time puts undue pressure on staffing companies that may already be struggling. If hard hit businesses are to best plan for the future and be in the best possible position in a post-pandemic world, they need to know exactly what support is available to their company, it’s staff and the clients they work with.”