London, September 24: UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Thursday said unemployment will continue to rise in the country, while announcing new measures to support and create jobs amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. "Unemployment is already rising and will continue to rise, that's a complete tragedy," Rishi Sunak told reporters. He added that he was doing everything to protect, support and create jobs. Rishi Sunak Unveils New Wage Top-Up Scheme to Save COVID-Hit Jobs in UK.

To support existing jobs, Sunak announced the British government will boost the wages of people who are on reduced hours due to the coronavirus crisis. The new Jobs Support Scheme, which will run for six months, would allow businesses to keep employees in a job on shorter hours, he said while speaking to the House of Commons. The scheme will ensure employees get 77 percent of their wages by working 33 percent of their hours. UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak Warns of ‘Difficult Decisions’ As Britain’s Debt Hits 2 Trillion Pounds.

Unemployment Will Continue to Rise, Says UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak:

"The government will directly support the wages of people in work, giving businesses who face depressed demand the option of keeping employees in a job on shorter hours rather than making them redundant," Sunak said. The new Jobs Support Scheme will replace the costly furlough scheme, which the UK government had introduced when the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2020 08:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).