You asked
Can you please provide data on the gender, race, age and sexual orientation of those furloughed during the Covid crisis, and correspondingly the gender, race, age and sexual orientation background of those who are rehired from furlough.
We said
Thank you for your request.
In April, in response to the COVID crisis, a question was added to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which asks respondents whether they are still being paid while their job is on hold or affected by COVID-19. This will create the opportunity for estimates of the number of people who were furloughed by different demographics (such as sex, age and ethnicity) to be produced.
However, it is not possible for any such statistics to be produced until the release of the April to June LFS data on 11 August 2020. We are planning to publish some analysis on this topic alongside (or following) the August release. If, at that time, you require any additional analysis, you can contact the customer services team of ONS's Social Surveys Division (socialsurveys@ons.gov.uk) to request bespoke analysis.
As such, the information you have requested is considered exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. This exemption is subject to a public interest test. While we recognise the desirability of information being freely available, we also acknowledge that public authorities must have the freedom to be able to determine their own publication timetables. This allows them to deal with the necessary preparation, administration, and context of publication. Furthermore, public interest is best served through the public having confidence that the information published by ONS is accurate and final. Release on an ad-hoc basis would not achieve this aim and will cause unnecessary confusion if they were to be misrepresented. In this case, exempting the information clearly outweighs the public interest in disclosure.
In the meantime, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publish official Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) statistics. The latest published estimates, which cover the period up to 30 June 2020, are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-july-2020/coronavirus-job-retention-scheme-statistics-july-2020
These statistics are from a business rather than person perspective, so demographic information is limited; however, breakdowns by sex and age are provided.