Coronavirus: Isle of Man financial support schemes extended

Unemployment on the island now stands at 3.1%

Two financial packages introduced to aid Manx workers and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic have been extended for at least 12 weeks.

The Covid-19 welfare benefit and employer wage support schemes were due to end on 25 May.

Coronavirus welfare assistance will now continue until 20 September and the wage support will run to 17 August.

Treasury minister Alfred Cannan said many still required support and it was "simply not right" to end the schemes.

The Isle of Man's unemployment rate rose by 1.1% to 3.1% in April with 1,347 individuals registering as not in work.

Under the two schemes, people who have lost jobs due to the outbreak can claim £200 a week and businesses have access to a £280 weekly payment for each full-time equivalent employee.

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Those that previously applied for the £3,000 grant under the coronavirus business support scheme will now also be eligible for the welfare payment from 1 June.

The Manx government has started to ease lockdown measures, which has allowed some businesses to reopen.

People in the construction and horticulture trades returned to work at the end of April, while shops were able to open to the public on Monday.

Though some businesses had resumed operations it was still "too early" to stop financial assistance, Mr Cannan said.

Many were still closed and others would "have considerable ground to make up" before they could "resume normal levels of activity and profitability", he added.

There have been 336 confirmed cases for coronavirus on the Isle of Man and 24 people have died after contracting it.