London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

Owner of Pimlico Plumbers sacks workers who refuse to return after furlough

A millionaire businessman has sacked several employees who wouldn’t come back to work after their furlough payments ended.
Entrepreneur Charlie Mullins, who owns Pimlico Plumbers, says he terminated people’s contracts and made others redundant on Friday after ending his company’s use of the Government scheme.

A majority of the 450 people who work for what is one of Britain’s biggest independent plumbing firms have returned but the 30 who didn’t lost their jobs, according to MailOnline.

The tycoon believes other employers should do the same to limit the economic damage and stop people ‘milking’ the system.

He’s called for the job retention programme to be replaced by something that only helps the most troubled industries and those unable to work because they are vulnerable.

He said: ‘We made a decision on Friday that you’re either back to work or we’ve made you redundant. The furlough scheme was a good idea and it was the lifeline that businesses and workers needed at the time.

‘But I think it’s been badly abused and milked by a lot of people who don’t want to go back to work.

‘I had people begging to come back to work and I had other people telling everybody the last thing they wanted to do was to go back to work and they’ll stay on furlough as long as they can.’

The move came as employers began to pay National Insurance and pension contributions for employees still on furlough.

The change, which came into force on August 1, has led to fears that many companies who haven’t yet recovered from the crisis will begin to make mass redundancies.

It’s estimated that the scheme has so far cost the Government £25billion. From September, only 70 per cent of staff wages will be paid by the state and this figure will reduce further before the whole scheme is closed for good in November.

The government’s offered a one-off £1,000 payment to all companies who bring employees back and keep them on between November and January 2021.

Mr Mullins is regarded as Britain’s richest plumber, with an estimated fortune of £70million. His company works for several celebrity clients including Keira Knightley, Daniel Craig and Dame Helen Mirren.

In February he stepped down as chief executive and handed control to his son Scott, taking the role of chairman instead.

He said: ‘A lot of bosses are uncomfortable saying to people: “You no longer have a job.” It’s not a nice thing to have to do.

‘Companies are putting it off because someone else is paying and to me they’re not proper bosses. You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth. You’ve got to take the criticism.

‘I said from day one, I’m not prepared to pay anybody to sit at home and do nothing. Now this has kicked into play… we’ve made people redundant.’

He also said his company won’t accept the £1,000 one off payment being offered by the government, calling it a ‘bribe.’ All those who do take the money and then let staff go next year should be fined £10,000, according to Mr Mullins.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
×