The UK Government’s back to work scheme will fail to get SMEs back into offices and factories because social distancing measures make a productive return impossible, according to Sharon Wiltshire, UK commercial director at Bibby Financial Services. 

Below is a quote and supporting data from our latest survey which also shows that there is still widespread support for an extension of the furlough scheme.

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Wiltshire said: “The Government’s latest campaign to encourage people back to the office is understandable, but for many of the UK’s SMEs it is simply impossible. 

“Already facing financial challenges and worried about the end of the furlough scheme, many of the country’s SMEs are unable to both bring back their workforce and comply with social distancing measures. 

“These problems have to be tackled if we want to see SMEs return with confidence and help to secure the UK’s economic recovery.”

 According to a survey commissioned by Bibby Financial Services:

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  • 26% of SMEs cannot conduct normal operations under the 1m+ distancing rules
  • 32% of SMEs warn social distancing measures have reduced capacity for growth
  • 14% of SME staff have refused to return to work
  • 14% of SMEs do not have the capital to buy supplies to fulfil orders
  • 19% of SMEs have taken on debt to maintain cashflow
  • 49% of SMEs think it will take more than six months to reach pre-lockdown levels of productivity
  • 35% of SMEs have brought back some staff from furlough
  • 16% of SMEs want the furlough scheme extended
  • 11% will make redundancies if the scheme is not extended

The Covid-19 Pulse survey is a poll of 500 SME owners taken from across the UK conducted from 10 July – 20 July 2020. The research was conducted by Critical Research.