It follows substantial income loses

A leading cancer charity is to furlough 600 jobs across the UK after it warned it could lose 50% of its income.

Macmillan Cancer Support employs around 2,000 staff but many have found themselves unable to do their jobs under the current lockdown.

It means employees will receive 80% of their pay a month, up to £2,500, from the UK government.

TFN revealed yesterday that the organisation was facing a huge rise in demand despite forecasting that its income would half.

Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “One consequence is that some members of staff are unable to carry out their jobs and many have experienced a significant decrease in their workloads,” she said.

“In consultation with our staff, we have decided to furlough about 30 per cent of, around 600 people, in order to make the most of the government’s job-retention scheme.

“Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we are confident that we are taking the right steps to protect and support both our staff and our supporters through this period.”

The charity said it was investing in a £5m coronavirus response fund to address emerging needs and fund other initiatives, which could include enabling cancer patients to speak virtually with their loved ones or paying for support workers to help with increased workloads.

Celebrities including Martin Clunes, Maxine Peake, Fearne Cotton and Joe Lycett have taken part in a video appealing for people to support an emergency fundraising campaign for the charity.