Covid cash return | Primark to hand back £121m in furlough money

Since the coronavirus pandemic gripped the nation, the Government rolled out the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) – more commonly known as furlough – to help protect jobs within workplaces that were forced to close.

This furlough scheme has proven to be a lifeline for business – particularly in the hospitality, retail and tourism sectors as they have been able to keep staff on board thanks to the contribution.

However, with workplaces now opening up once again thanks to lockdown restrictions starting to lift, employers are starting to repay the furlough cash they received from government schemes. One such business is the fast-fashion retailer Primark.

The Evening Standard reported that Primark’s owner Associated British Foods (ABF) will repay £121million in furlough money claimed under government retention schemes, while also paying out a dividend to shareholders despite a decline in profits.