THE latest HMRC figures show that 123,100 people were furloughed in Hampshire as of January 31.

New data on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme statistics has been released by HM revenue and customs, which shows around 14 per cent of jobs were furloughed in Hampshire at the beginning of the year.

This is just above the average across England- 12 per cent. The new figures show in Hampshire there was an increase from the month previous when 102,800 people in the county were on the scheme.

The South East region saw the second highest number of furloughed employees, just after London with 633,200 jobs furloughed (16 per cent).

Analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicates that approximately two in five businesses were furloughing staff in January.

Figures released by the ONS, show that restaurant staff, IT engineers, bricklayers and air travel assistants are among the workers most likely to have had their pay cut since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

These professions have been classed as “high vulnerability jobs” by the ONS, meaning they are non-key worker roles very unlikely to be done from home.

This is how many people were furloughed in each council area in Hampshire as of January 31:

  • Basingstoke and Deane: 12,000 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 13 per cent
  • East Hampshire: 8,200 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 15 per cent
  • Eastleigh: 9,000 people furloughed¸ total uptake rate of 14 per cent         
  • Fareham: 7,400 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 14 per cent
  • Gosport: 4,800   people furloughed, total uptake rate of 13 per cent
  • Hart: 6,800 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 15 per cent  
  • Havant: 8,000 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 15 per cent            
  • New Forest: 12,800 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 17 per cent 
  • Rushmoor: 7,500 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 14 per cent                      
  • Test Valley: 7,700 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 13 per cent                     
  • Winchester: 7,800 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 14 per cent                    
  • Portsmouth: 14,900 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 16 per cent
  • Southampton: 16,200 people furloughed, total uptake rate of 14 per cent