Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Dear @PAYadvice,

In our email earlier this week on the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), we promised to share any further information with you as soon as it became available.

Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – more information available

Today the Chancellor has announced that CJRS will be extended until the end of March‌‌‌ 2021 for all parts of the UK. For claim periods running to 31‌‌‌ January 2021, the UK Government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. The UK Government will review the policy in January to decide whether economic circumstances are improving enough to ask employers to contribute more.

It was also confirmed that the Job Retention Bonus will no longer be paid in Feb‌‌‌ruary 2021, as CJRS will be available at that time. An alternative retention incentive will be put in place at the appropriate time.

What you need to do now

If you or your clients intend to claim under the CJRS, please look at information published today on how you can check if you’re eligible to claim, and what you need to agree with your employees. You can find this on GOV‌‌‌.UK by searching ‘Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme’.

This latest information applies for CJRS claim periods from 1 November 2020. The final date for claims for the period up to 31 October is still 30‌‌‌ November 2020.

The full guidance for claims from November onwards, including more information on how to calculate a claim, will be published on GOV‌‌‌.UK on Tuesday, and we’ll send you another update to confirm this. Claims can be made from 11‌‌‌ November 2020.

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) Grant Extension

Today the Chancellor announced that the UK Government is increasing the overall level of the next SEISS grant from 55% to 80% of trading profits.

This grant will cover a three-month period from the start of November until the end of January. The UK Government will pay a taxable grant which is based on 80% of three months’ average trading profits, paid out in a single instalment and capped at £7,500. 

The SEISS Grant Extension will last for six months in total, from 1 November 2020 to 30‌‌‌ April 2021. A further grant will cover February to April, as grants will be paid in two lump sum instalments each covering a three-month period. The Government will set out further details, including the level of that grant, in due course.

Full details on checking if you or your clients are eligible for the current grant and how to claim will be published on GOV‌‌‌.UK week commencing 23‌‌‌ November.

Further support

Guidance and live webinars offering you more support on changes to CJRS and SEISS, and how they affect you or your clients, are available to book online – go to GOV‌‌‌.UK and search ‘help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus’.

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 also 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.

PAYadvice.UK 5/11/2020