UK job furlough spending rises to 46.4 billion pounds

British public spending on furloughing private-sector employees unable to work due to the coronavirus rose to a total 46.4 billion pounds ($63.0 billion) as of Dec. 13, up from 43.0 billion a month before, government data showed on Thursday.

Some 9.9 million jobs have been furloughed at some point since the programme started in April.

Government guarantees to banks for lending to businesses hit by Covid increased to 68.15 billion pounds as of Dec. 13, up from 65.48 billion pounds a month earlier, other figures showed. ($1 = 0.7362 pounds)