The government have confirmed today that they are extending the period that employees can be furloughed to the end of June. The chancellor has also stated that this period could be extended further. If the lock down restrictions are lifted at the end of May this would allow some businesses to start trading by un-furloughing some staff whilst keeping others on furlough and have a couple of months of trading before salaries are to be met in full or other action taken. Alternatively, it may be an indication of the lock down period being extended once again.
Please also remember that the HMRC portal goes live on Monday
To claim you will need:
- your employer PAYE reference number
- the number of employees being furloughed
- National Insurance Numbers for the furloughed employees
- Names of the furloughed employees
- Payroll/employee number for the furloughed employees (optional)
- your Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference or Corporation Tax Unique Taxpayer Reference or Company Registration Number
- the claim period (start and end date)
- amount claimed (per the minimum length of furloughing of 3 consecutive weeks)
- your bank account number and sort code
- your contact name
- your phone number
You will need to calculate the amount you are claiming. HMRC will retain the right to retrospectively audit all aspects of your claim.
If you have fewer than 100 furloughed staff you will be asked to enter details of each employee you are claiming for directly into the system – this will include their name, National Insurance number, claim period and claim amount, and payroll/employee number (optional).
If you have 100 or more furloughed staff you will be asked to upload a file with the information rather than input it directly into the system.
The file should include the following information for each furloughed employee: name, National Insurance number, claim period and claim amount, payroll/employee number (optional).
Employees paid through an umbrella company – can they be furloughed?
Yes – employees paid through an umbrella company CAN now be furloughed. Furloughed staff need to agree that they have been furloughed in writing – speak to your adviser.
Holiday position and furloughing
At the time of publishing we are still waiting for information on holiday position and furloughing.
Team HB would like to thank Iain Lock who is a Director at Q&A HR, for providing details for our summary above. Iain can be contacted directly on 01920 463777 or be email ilock@qandalaw.co.uk
We hope this information helps you and we are here for you during this difficult time. We will continue to keep you updated as the Government releases new information. Our business contingency plan is in place and we will do everything we can to support our clients during this uncertain period, please do not hesitate to contact us here if you have any concerns or queries.
Visit our COVID19 Business Hub for more information
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The information contained above is for general guidance purposes only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate, please note that each individual has different circumstances and it is essential that you seek appropriate professional advice before you act on any of the information contained herein. HB Accountants can accept no liability for any errors or omission or for any person acting on or refraining from acting on the information provided in the above
