Important information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

HMRC are writing to employers and agents to inform them of Important information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This information includes key dates. Here’s a summary:

Key dates

You should submit CJRS claims for periods ending on or before the 30‌^th of‌‌ ‌June 2020 by the 31^st of‌‌‌ ‌July 2020. This is the last date to make those claims. Employers need to have made a claim at any point on or before the 31^st of‌‌‌ ‌July to be able to make a claim for future months.
From the 1^st of‌‌‌ ‌August 2020 the scheme will no longer fund employers’ National Insurance (NI) and pensions contributions for furloughed employees. Employers will have to make these payments from their own resources.
From the 1^st of‌‌‌ ‌September 2020 employers will have to start contributing to the wages of furloughed employees. Grants will be for 70% of usual wages in September and 60% in October, but furloughed employees will continue to be entitled to receive at least 80% of their usual wages. Employers will have to make up the difference from their own resources.

Live webinars offering more support on changes to the scheme and how they impact you are available. To book online, go to GOV‌‌‌‌.UK and search ‘help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus’.

Make sure your data is right

It’s important that you provide the correct data for HMRC to process claims. Payment of grants may be at risk or delayed if a claim is incomplete or incorrect.

If claiming for 100 or more employees, remember to use the standard template to submit employees’ details. It is important that you submit the correct data (including National Insurance numbers) in the correct format.

You can find this template by searching ‘Job Retention Scheme template download’ on GOV‌‌‌‌.UK.

More information about the Job Retention Bonus

The Government recently introduced the Job Retention Bonus – a one-off payment of £1,000 to employers who have claimed under CJRS for each furloughed employee who remains continuously employed until at least the 31^st of‌‌‌ ‌January 2021.

More information about this scheme will be available on 31‌‌‌ ‌July.

Incorrect claims

CJRS grants are for covering the costs of furloughed employees’ wages (and related payroll taxes, National Insurance and pension contributions until 31‌‌‌‌‌‌ ‌July). Grants may be withheld or recovered if they are claimed based on dishonest or inaccurate information.

HMRC are contacting a number of employers at the moment to check that they have claimed the correct amount.

If you have made an incorrect claim that meant you claimed too much, you can let HMRC know as part of the next online claim without needing to call them. If you have made an error and do not plan to submit further claims, or have claimed less than entitled to, you can contact HMRC by searching ‘Contact HMRC’ on GOV‌‌‌‌.UK.

Protect yourself from scams

Stay vigilant about scams, which may mimic government messages as a way of appearing authentic and unthreatening. Don’t give out private information or reply to text messages, and don’t download attachments in emails you weren’t expecting. Search ‘scams’ on GOV‌.UK for information on how to recognise genuine HMRC contact. You can also forward suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599.