Sunak expected to extend furlough scheme to March

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to extend furlough until March, sources have told the BBC.

The full details will be unveiled in a statement in the Commons shortly.

It's not clear if it will be the full 80% currently available.

The move follows several days of wrangling over the scope and duration of the furlough scheme. It was due to end on 31 October, but has already been extended to cover the current four-week lockdown in England.

That announcement at the weekend sparked a row with Scotland and Wales, which argued that it was unfair for the full support package to be available only when England is in lockdown.

They said the scheme - which currently guarantees 80% of wages up to £2,500 a month for people unable to work - should be on offer if they went into their own full national lockdowns later on.

The Bank warned the resurgence of Covid-19 would lead to a slower, bumpier recovery.

About £40bn has been spent on the furlough scheme since it was introduced in March.

It was originally intended to end in May, but Mr Sunak said at the outset that it would be extended "if necessary".

About 9.6 million people have benefited at one time or another, with a steep take-up in the first few months.