25 Jun 2020The Institute of Directors (IoD) has called on the government to act to support jobs and investment once the coronavirus lockdown ends. In a submission to the Treasury, the IoD has urged the government to act now in order to reduce the cost of employing people as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) comes to a close. The IoD recommends increasing the Employment Allowance and raising the threshold for employers' national insurance contributions (NICs). Within the submission, the Institute also proposed widening the scope of Research and Development (R&D) tax reliefs to support investment in technology and training. Jonathan Geldart, Director General of the IoD, said: 'The government may want to hold back some ammunition until the autumn, but directors have to make hiring and investment plans ahead of time. 'Now is the moment for the Treasury to reduce the cost of employment so companies can retain staff. As the furlough scheme winds down, jobs are at risk, so it will be crucial to soften the blow.'