Delivery giant to hire 10,500 amid UK online shopping surge

This will include 1,500 full-time roles across its delivery network and head office, and 9,000 freelance couriers.

Hermes also said it would not accept any money from the government's job retention bonus scheme, designed to help struggling firms.

It comes as a raft of companies make job cuts due to the pandemic.

Hermes boss Martijn de Lange said: "The pandemic has expedited the already phenomenal growth of online shopping and we see no sign of this changing.

"As a result, it is important that we have the right infrastructure and people in place to support this. This is good news for the many people who have sadly had their income affected and we are pleased to be able to support the UK economy with so many jobs at this time."

He said the firm had received thousands of applications from pub staff, hairdressers, pilots and others who had been let go at the start of lockdown.

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