More than 8.4million workers are now registered on the government's furlough scheme, up from eight million a week earlier, the Treasury has said.
The total number of claims has risen to £15billion as ministers warn of plans to close the scheme to new applicants in July.
The Job Retentions Scheme was first phased in around eight weeks ago, after thousands of businesses were forced to shut following a lockdown on the country.
It allows employers to claim support to pay their staff - equivalent to 80% of their monthly salary up to £2,500. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the scheme will continue until October, but the government will ask companies to "start sharing" the cost of the scheme from August.