MID Ulster has seen the highest number of people furloughed in the north during the coronavirus pandemic
New figures show that 34.9 percent of employees have been put on the scheme, which sees the government pays up to 80 per cent of employees' wages up to a maximum of £2,500 per month per employee.
The Scottish Highlands had 33.7 per cent while the figure was 34 per cent in Gwynedd in Wales.
In England South Lakeland in Cumbria had the highest proportion of employments furloughed with 40.5 percent.
Mid Ulster SDLP assembly member Patsy McGlone said the area relies on the hospitality and manufacturing sectors.
He suggested that people will have to be upskilled.
“With that there has to come a huge investment to kick start the economy,” he said.
The figures, published by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), are for claims made under the furlough scheme up to the end of June.
They show that 9.4 million employments across the UK had been placed on furlough, at a cost to the Treasury of £26.5 billion.
Just over one million separate employers had made at least one claim under the scheme by the end of June.
The accommodation and food services sector has seen the highest proportion of employers furloughing at least some staff, 87 percent, along with the highest proportion of total employments furloughed - 73 percent.
Teenagers are most likely to have had their jobs furloughed during the crisis.
