COVID19 – Bar Council furloughs a fifth of workforce

The Bar Council has furloughed 20% of its workforce and cut its budget to prepare for a “significant drop in income” next year. The representative body has also frozen pay reviews and recruitment. The chair, vice chair and chief executive of the council – along with the chair, vice chair and director general of the Bar Standards Board – have also agreed to a temporary 20% pay cut. The Gazette understands the Bar Council chair is paid £180,000 a year in normal circumstances. The BSB said it cannot furlough staff at present because of ‘regulatory demands’, but has implemented a pay and recruitment freeze which is expected to save £110,000. The Bar Council hopes to save £98,000 in the same manner.