shops, bars and restaurants were forced to close once again. any festive cheer turned into a painful hangover. schools shut their doors. travel ground to a halt. and office workers settled down in spare rooms and on kitchen tables, to work from home once again. and for those who couldn't, an extended furlough scheme helped to prop up earnings. the scheme supported the wages of more than 11.7 million people after it launched in march 2020. but it came at a heavy price, and by the time the scheme was wound down in the summer, it had cost more than £70 billion. but even then, many firms feared it was being withdrawn too soon. many still were not able to operate at full capacity and warned that without financial help, they could be forced to close. how confident are you that you will