A MAN who is facing months without pay because of a furlough fiasco has called on the Prime Minister to step in.

David Hughes works as the maintenance manager at the Erskine Bridge Hotel and along with the rest of the 73-strong workforce, he has not been paid since they were forced to close nine weeks ago.

It is understood new owners were rejected for the furlough scheme for the hotel because of a misunderstanding over PAYE records.

Now the employees caught in the middle with no means of income are appealing for help.

Port man David, 56, who is staying in Wemyss Bay with his partner during lockdown, said: "We have had no wages now for two months.

"We don't know when we will open up and could do months without pay.

"I am lucky, I have my partner to support me.

"But there are couples who both work at the hotel and they have no income at all.

"We are now writing to everyone - Nicola Sturgeon and the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to get help."

The staff were all put on furlough after the hotel was forced to close in response to the coronavirus.

MGM Muthu had taken over the premises in January and all employees were 'TUPED' over.

David, like other colleagues, was expecting his first furlough pay on May 7 only to be hit by a hammer blow.

The Tele understands the firm were told by HMRC that they had been rejected because of a PAYE issue.

The hotel chain owners are appealing the decision but so far it remains unchanged and David is unable to claim any benefit.

He said: "We are still technically employed so we can't do anything.

"We are not entitled to anything else.

"When I check my PAYE details on the Government Gateway online system it shows I was on PAYE with the new employer from March 5, which falls in line with the scheme cut off date of March 19.

"So I don't understand what the problem is."

Hotel worker David has contacted local MP Ronnie Cowan for help and his SNP colleague Gavin Newlands has taken up the case.

Erskine Bridge general manager Neil Irwin said: "We have all been left with nothing.

"I think we just need someone with the power to change this to step in.

"It is a mistake and we just need someone to sort it out.

"We have written to everyone, including the Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

"He has acted compassionately for others and I am sure if he knew he would sort it out.

"It has been raised at the Scottish Office as well. "

Inverclyde Employment Rights has taken up David's case and described it as unprecedented.

A spokesman told the Tele: "This is the first case of this kind we have come across."

A Treasury spokesman said: “Those that aren’t eligible for the [coronavirus job retention] scheme can make use of a number of other measures.

"These include our strengthened welfare safety net, where we’ve given councils an additional £500m to support the most vulnerable in our society and introduced mortgage-payment holidays and tax deferrals.”