Isles have joint-lowest furlough figures in March

Shetland had the joint-lowest percentage of workers on furlough in March, according to HMRC.

Just 8 per cent of the workforce was on furlough at the end of March – the same percentage as Orkney.

However, Orkney had slightly fewer workers on furlough according to the latest coronavirus job retention data.

Shetland had 900 workers on furlough at the end of March, while Orkney had just 800.

Around 500 of the isles furloughed workers were female, HMRC said, while the rest were male.

There is a delay in the reporting of the figures, so April’s figures will not be reported by HMRC until the beginning of June.

Coronavirus restrictions were eased across the country at the end of April, and will be eased further on Monday, 17th May, allowing more businesses to open.