Furloughing staff: Prudent common sense or morally bankrupt?

'We are commercial enterprises'

Hannah Godfrey
clock • 6 min read

It could be argued cash-comfortable adviser firms taking advantage of the government’s furlough scheme are merely considering the long-term future of the business and behaving prudently. However, others feel doing so ignores the needs of the taxpayer, and will ultimately damage the reputation of advisers. Here, a few advisers argue the merits and demerits of furloughing staff...

If a company can afford to continue paying staff without the government furlough scheme - known officially as the Job Retention Scheme - then doing so has become something of a contentious topic among the adviser community ever since the government offered to pay 80% of furloughed staff's wages, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The furlough scheme, which officially went live on 20 April and can be backdated to 1 March, was put in place by the government to ensure people did not lose their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on the day the scheme wen...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

Wealth M&A deals triple in six years as PE buyers dominate market

Wealth M&A deals triple in six years as PE buyers dominate market

PE buyers account for nearly three-quarters of deals

Isabel Baxter
clock 14 October 2026 • 2 min read
Dyer Baade & Company's Daniel Baade: £500m-£2bn AUA firms key battleground in wealth M&A's next phase

Dyer Baade & Company's Daniel Baade: £500m-£2bn AUA firms key battleground in wealth M&A's next phase

Fewer but better buyers

Daniel Baade
clock 13 October 2026 • 3 min read
Advice fintech on partnering with providers to target mass market

Advice fintech on partnering with providers to target mass market

Whistle looks at closing advice gap

Sophia Panayi
clock 13 October 2026 • 3 min read