In Britain, around 25% workers furloughed; cos claim $9.9 bn as wage bills

HM Revenue and Customs says on Twitter that 6.3 million workers from 800,000 employers had been furloughed, citing figures up to midnight on Sunday

Around a quarter of employees in Britain have been furloughed and companies have claimed 8 billion pounds ($9.9 billion) from the government to sustain their wage bills during the coronavirus lockdown, tax authorities said on Monday.

HM Revenue and Customs said on Twitter that 6.3 million workers from 800,000 employers had been furloughed, citing figures up to midnight on Sunday.

That accounts for 23% of Britain's 27.5 million private sector workers, according to the most recent labour market data, and underlines how heavily the world's fifth-largest economy is leaning on the state during the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the Coronavirus Job