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10 Africa telegraph 25 October - 09 November 2020 Produced in partnership with UK Government

The future depends on what you do today

The lawyer and political ethicist, Ma-
hatma Gandhi, once said: “The future
depends on what you do today.” In
order to create a better future for the
UK workforce, the UK Government has
acted with speed to set out a plan to
safeguard employment.
The UK Government has announced
extra support for businesses that
may be forced to close their doors in
the coming weeks and months due to
coronavirus restrictions.

Their economic priority is to protect
jobs, which is being done through the
Job Support Scheme which will directly
support the wages of people who are
in work, giving businesses the option of
keeping employees in a job on shorter
hours rather than making them redun-
dant.

The Job Support Scheme, whether for
open or closed businesses, will open
on 1 November 2020, paying grants
from early December and remain-
ing open for 6 months. The extended
scheme will be reviewed in January.
Health restrictions may mean that busi-
nesses are asked to close, so the gov-
ernment have announced that they are
expanding the JSS where restrictions
legally require a business to close in Will Townsend launched Edinburgh-based Active Root five years ago after getting fed up with the sports
any region or nation of the UK. drinks and gels aimed at people taking part in endurance sports.

The Chancellor recently announced
the UK Government’s plan to protect “I have always said that we will do what- to help the country’s economic recov- ing part in endurance sports such as
jobs and support businesses across ever is necessary to protect jobs and ery. One scheme that aims to do this marathon-running and long-distance
livelihoods as the situation evolves.”
cycling.
is the £2billion Kickstart scheme, giv-
the UK over the coming months. Cen-
tral to this plan is a new Job Support ing unemployed young people a future
Scheme and extension of Self Employ- “The expansion of the Job Support of opportunity and hope by creating He wanted something that wouldn’t un-
ment Income Support Scheme. Scheme will provide a safety net for high-quality, government- subsidised settle people’s stomachs.
businesses across the UK who are re- jobs.
quired to temporarily close their doors, This is one criticism of many of the
The plan also includes flexible mea-
sures to help over a million UK busi- giving them the right support at the Faith in the future products on the market, and he set-
nesses pay back government backed right time.” tled on ginger as a key ingredient. Five
loans, and an extension of the VAT Our future lies in the hands of young years on, the company is thriving, with
reduction for the hospitality and tour- The announcement comes after addi- people. As a result, the UK Govern- strong eCommerce sales and a distri-
tional measures to combat the spread
ment’s on-the-job training for 16 to
bution network that spans 150 stores
ism sectors. The extensive package
of support will help to protect millions of the virus were imposed across the 24-year-old seems like an investment in the UK and overseas.
of jobs and livelihoods, as the country UK. in the future.
works together to suppress the virus. “Like a lot of people, we thought it was
The plan for jobs is the second part of Someone keen to invest in young the end of the world for our business,”
a three-phase plan to secure the UK’s people is Will Townsend, an Edin- Townsend recalls of the moment back
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi
Sunak said: “Throughout the crisis the economic recovery from coronavirus. burgh-based businessman. Townsend in March when the Scottish govern-
driving force of our economic policy launched Active Root five years ago ment announced a national lockdown.
has not changed.” The UK Government is focussing on after getting fed up with the sports Continued on the next page
training young people as part of its plan drinks and gels aimed at people tak-