The Leader of Hounslow Council expressed his concerns about the ending of the government's furlough scheme, which stopped on 1 October.

Cllr Steve Curran said Hounslow is one of the hardest hit councils in the country in terms of economy, unemployment and furlough.

According to the council, the borough was one of the five councils in the country with the highest proportion of jobs still on furlough.

10% of Hounslow residents were on furlough, double the UK average and equating to 13,000 residents, down from a peak of 51,700 in June last year. 

Chief executive officer for Citizens Advice Hounslow, Aiman Elal, said: "We have already seen a rapid rise in people seeking advice and support on financial issues, mental health, employment, housing services, and the full range of pressures that fall out of economic uncertainty.

"This promises to get worse, potentially much worse, if the impacts of the end of the furlough scheme for communities reliant on a thriving Heathrow Airport, drops in benefits, and rising costs come together ahead of Christmas. We are very worried for our communities."

The end of furlough coincides with the end to the temporary £20 increase to Universal Credit, first introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic, due to officially stop this week (6 October).

Councillor Curran said: "As a Council we will continue to provide what support we can through our Community Solutions work, and we will - as we have throughout the pandemic - make assisting the most vulnerable our priority in partnerships across the Borough.

"But there have to be serious concerns that, as the Government has failed to engage with our call for an Aviation Communities Fund to address the skills and employment challenges in Hounslow, the cruel impacts of the pandemic on our economy and for working people in the Borough will only worsen in the weeks to come."

According to the council, since the start of the pandemic the number of Hounslow residents on Universal Credit has almost doubled and their analysis suggests Hounslow residents will lose out on over £780,000 per week with the end of the £20 uplift. 

You can find Citizens Advice Hounslow at their Brentford & Chiswick Office in the Town Hall on Heathfield Terrace, or in their Feltham Office at The Centre, High Street, TW13 4GU.

For financial support through the council's Community Solutions site visit, here.