Coventry City are continuing to make use of the government’s flexible furlough scheme to help the club through the summer months.
The Sky Blues placed all of their players and some staff on furlough for the first time in April 2020 shortly after the country went into its first national lockdown, bringing a premature end to the League One season.
And since the end of the 2020/21 season earlier this month, the club once again placed all playing staff on furlough.
Asked about the situation, chief executive Dave Boddy said: "Yes, absolutely, we’re making use of the flexible furlough scheme since it was made available and we will continue to do so.
“It’s been the only real support we have had from the government.”
The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced he was extending the furlough scheme in March this year until the end of September (2021) and will increase employer contributions from July 2021 onwards.
From July 2021 the government will start paying less towards those employees on furlough. They will reduce contributions from 80% up to a cap of £2500 to lower percentages.
However employees throughout this time must still receive 80% of their wages up to £2500, for furlough to be valid.
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From July 1 the government will pay 70% of wages up to a cap of £2,187.50. The employer will continue to pay employer’s national insurance contributions and pension contributions.
However the employer will also have to pay 10% of wages to make up the 80% total up to a cap of £2,500.
From August the government will pay 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875. The employer will continue to pay employer’s national insurance contributions and pension contributions.
However the employer will also have to pay an additional 20% to top up the 80% total up to a cap of £2,500.
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The scheme will close on 30 September 2021 and employers will need to bear all employee costs again.
Boddy told CoventryLive last September that he estimated the pandemic had cost the club around £1m in lost income.
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That figure will have significantly increased over the course of an entire season with no fans allowed, thus starving the club of vital revenue.
City have enjoyed the support from fans who took up the club's membership scheme for the season, and again ahead of next season with over 8,000 already having committed themselves to the membership/season tickets for the return to the Ricoh, soon to be renamed Coventry Building Society Arena.
Owners Sisu also continue to support the club financially.