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Covid -19 update 25.11.20
COVID-19 update 25.11.20
I’m writing to remind you about upcoming deadlines for making your Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) claims and actions you might need to take.
The CJRS has been extended to 31 March 2021 for all parts of the UK. From 1 November, the UK Government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for the hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. The government will review the terms of the scheme in January.
You and your employees do not need to have benefited from the scheme before to claim for periods from 1 November.
What you need to do now
- Submit any claims for periods up to 31 October on or before 30 November – they will not be accepted after this date. Claims are subject to eligibility and the rules in force at the time.
- Submit any claims for November, no later than 14 December. You can claim before, during or after you process your payroll as long as your claim is submitted by the deadline.
- Keep any records that support the amount of CJRS grant you claim, in case HMRC needs to check them. You can view, print or download copies of your previously submitted claims by logging onto your CJRS service on GOV.UK.
For claim periods from 1 December, you cannot claim CJRS grants for any days that your employee is serving a contractual or statutory notice period, including notice of retirement or resignation.
You can check if you’re eligible, and work out how much you can claim using our CJRS calculator and examples, by searching ‘Job Retention Scheme’ on GOV.UK.
Claims deadlines
There are now monthly deadlines for claims. Claims for periods starting on or after 1 November must be submitted within 14 calendar days after the month they relate to, unless this falls on a weekend in which case the deadline is the next weekday. Your deadline to make claims for employees furloughed in November is Monday 14 December.
Publishing employers’ information
HMRC will publish the names, an indication of the value of claims and Company Registration Numbers of employers who make CJRS claims for periods from December onwards. We’ll write to you again with details of when this information will be published.
For claim periods from December, your employees will also be able to check if you have made a CJRS claim on their behalf through their online Personal Tax Account. To set up a Personal Tax Account go to GOV.UK and search ‘Personal Tax Account: sign in or set up’.
Where you can get further support
Thousands of people have joined and benefited from our live webinars which now offer more support on changes to CJRS, and how they affect you. To book online, or to view updated guidance, go to GOV.UK and search ‘help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus’.
There’s also a helpful step-by-step guide on GOV.UK, summarising the latest information on CJRS and the steps you need to take to make a claim – you can find this by searching ‘step by step guide’.
Our phone lines and webchat remain very busy, so the quickest way to find the support you need is on GOV.UK. This will leave our phone lines and webchat service open for those who need them most.
Protect yourself from scams
Stay vigilant about scams, which may mimic government messages as a way of appearing authentic. Search ‘scams’ on GOV.UK for information on how to recognise genuine HMRC contact. You can forward suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599.
Access the National Cyber Security Centre’s new guide on how to stay secure online and protect yourself or your business against cyber crime by searching ‘Cyber Aware’ on GOV.UK.
I hope this information helps you and your business, and we’ll continue to keep you updated.