CORONAVIRUS

Eat Out to Help Out scheme: taxpayers pick up £522m bill

Rishi Sunak said that the government’s “mission” was to protect jobs
Rishi Sunak said that the government’s “mission” was to protect jobs
JEFF J MITCHELL/PA

Britons had more than 100 million meals under the Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme at a cost to the taxpayer of £522 million.

Diners got a 50 per cent discount on meals and soft drinks worth up to £10 each between Mondays and Wednesdays last month. The scheme led to a 216 per cent rise in bookings on bank holiday Monday this week compared with the same day last year.

By the end of the month, the 84,700 restaurants in the programme had lodged 130,000 claims. The Treasury said that the final figure was likely to rise as restaurants had until the end of the month to submit claims.

Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, said: “From the get-go our mission has been to