Extended Job Retention Scheme claim facility now open

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The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until 31 March 2021.

For any grant claims relating to furlough up to 31st October 2020, employers must finalise and ensure that they make the grant application at the latest 30th November 2020.

For the new extended Job Retention Scheme, the November grant application claim facility is now open. Any claims for the month of November must be completed at the latest by 14th December 2020.

Each subsequent month any grant application claim must be completed by the 14th of the month following.

Opinion

Employers who are considering utilising the extended Job Retention Scheme need to assess any new employment cases that will qualify.

For those employed prior to 20th March, the calculation basis of reference salary and usual hours remains unchanged. For those employed since and reported up to 30th October then an elapsed days calculation of reference salary and usual hours is required.

Remember, reference salary is post salary sacrifice and that salary sacrifice reductions cannot be applied to government funded furlough pay (these must be paid as taxable income in full).

The claim window is very tight. You must put in place business process measured to ensure accurate time worked recording, else you place the employer at risk of:

• Missing the grant application window and not receiving grant
• Committing inadvertent errors or even fraud

Please note that HMRC will name employers who ha e claimed under the extended scheme and some employee verification checking will take place.

PAYadvice.UK 11/11/2020