Job retention scheme portal now open

20 April 2020

Issue: 4740 / Categories: News

HMRC’s coronavirus job retention scheme portal opened on 20 April. A small number of employers had been given the opportunity to test it from 8 April.

HMRC says its online application service can handle up to 450,000 applications an hour. Employers should then receive the money to pay their employees within six days, enabling them to meet the April payroll. Importantly, employers should gather all the information and the precise calculations they need before starting their application. HMRC states employers should keep a note or a print-out of their claim reference number because there will be no confirmation SMS or email. Further, they should retain all records and calculations, in case HMRC has a query.

In a move making the scheme more generous, the government has confirmed that employers can claim for employees who were employed as of 19 March 2020 and were on their PAYE payroll on or before that date. It had previously been announced that employees who were employed at 28 February 2020 but were made redundant or stopped working for the business after that can also qualify for the scheme if the employer re-employs them and puts them on furlough.

In another development, after the government’s announcement on 16 April that lockdown measures were to be extended for at least another three weeks, the chancellor said the scheme would remain open until the end of June.

HMRC CJRS guidance: tinyurl.com/hmrccjrsapr; HMRC CJRS claim: tinyurl.com/hmrccjrsclaim; HMT furlough cut-off date: tinyurl.com/hmtfcofe19

Issue: 4740 / Categories: News