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BEIS issues last-minute furlough guidance for researchers

The guidance comes just five days before the final deadline for enrolling in the scheme

The government has released guidance for research organisations on the coronavirus job retention scheme.

The new guidance, which was published on 5 June by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, comes just five days before the deadline for enrolling in the scheme. Those who miss the deadline will be ineligible for a furlough grant later on.

According to the document, institutions can claim support for research staff on fixed-term contracts that are due to expire during the period of coronavirus disruption, “where that research is unable to continue and the funder has offered a no-cost extension”.

If a researcher is furloughed, institutions can also extend the researcher’s contract until work on their grant is completed.

BEIS said it recognises that research is “often funded from a mixture of public and private income streams and that it may be difficult to distinguish between which stream of income directly support research and technical staff”.

But it added that staff who are supported by a mixture of commercial contracts and grants, and whose work has been paused, are also eligible for support.

In the cases where research staff are directly supported by a public grant, institutions should notify the research funder, the guidance said.

“Monitoring arrangements will be put in place in order to mitigate the risks of double funding of research,” the department said.