Portsmouth campaigner among thousands left marooned by government furlough scheme

A PORTSMOUTH campaigner is among thousands of people who have been left marooned by the UK government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
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Xerach Marrero, 33, has been left without any income following a loophole in the UK jobs emergency scheme, known as furlough.

The engineering worker changed his job after the cut-off date for the scheme on February 28, which would have allowed him to qualify for help.

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And because he was not on his new company’s payroll in time to qualify for 80 per cent furlough pay, Xerach has been left stranded after starting his new job on March 9.

Xerach MarreroXerach Marrero
Xerach Marrero

Xerach said: ‘I am one of the thousands of people with no right to furlough because I started my new job after the government date. It is mentally devastating to be in this loophole.

‘My new employer is unable to help me and I’ve asked my previous company three times to see if they will put me on furlough but they just say, “sorry we can’t do it”.

People have families and are suffering with having no income because of this. It’s embarrassing and destroys your confidence having to ask and being told they can’t help.’

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Xerach, who has worked in the engineering industry in Portsmouth for a year and a half since coming to the UK from Spain, has joined forces with others in his position.

A petition with nearly 47,000 signatures has been signed by people, while Xerach is part of a newly set up Facebook group ‘New Starter Furlough’. A hashtag #newstarterfurlough on social media is also highlighting the plight.

There have been calls for the government to clarify their position and offer support to those left in no man’s land by the loophole, including from high-profile figures like money expert Martin Lewis.

In the meantime Xerach said he is attempting to claim Universal Credit and is being supported by his girlfriend. ‘I don’t know if I will get the benefit because I haven’t been in the UK that long,’ he said.

‘Hopefully we can unite people and see change soon.’

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To support the petition click here or go join the Facebook group New Starter Furlough. People can also follow hashtag #newstarterfurlough on social media.

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