UK finance minister Sunak offers Covid-hit companies more help to keep jobs

Sunak had previously resisted calls to increase the generosity of the government's support schemes amid fast-rising job losses

British finance minister Rishi Sunak announced his latest programme to stave off a surge in unemployment on Friday, offering extra help for businesses and workers who are forced to stop work during local coronavirus lockdowns.

In a move likely to cost billions of pounds over the six-month duration of the new scheme, Sunak said the government will pay up to two-thirds of each employee's salary, with a cap of 2,100 pounds ($2,724.33) a month, if they work for companies that are forced to close temporarily.

The announcement represented an expansion of the government's Job Support Scheme - which itself is the replacement