Christian Aid has announced plans to furlough 20% of its workforce and cut pay of the remaining 80% of employees.

In a statement, the organisation said it will furlough a proportion of the workforce under the government's Job Retention Scheme and make cuts to basic salaries as the charity anticipates a loss of £6m in the current financial year.

Selected staff will be placed on furlough from 27 April until 30 June and the remaining staff will move to a four-day week with a salary of 80% for the next 12 weeks.

Directors and most senior managers will not be furloughed, but the leadership group will be among staff to move to 80% pay for the three months of May through July. The charity said they will continue to work a full working week, to lead Christian Aid through this crisis.

By making the cuts, the charity aims to save £1m in payroll over the next nine weeks; supplemented by fully drawing down on its available reserves.

It said the move would help the organisation 'ensure that it's core international work can continue, and to ensure livelihoods in the long term'.

In a statement, the organisation said it is important for it to 'retain the capacity and ability to help those in countries where health systems are weak'.

"These have been and continue to be hard decisions to make. We must do what is right for the communities we serve, for supporters who walk with us and for our staff," the charity's CEO Amanda Khozi Mukwashi said.

"Whilst there are many threats to our traditional income sources, it is also clear that Christian Aid’s vision, mission and values are needed now more than ever – this is our moment to show the world we care, we are equipped, and we can join the fight against this pandemic."

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