Category: COVID-19 Coronavirus

Employer duties for those instructed to self-isolate #coronavirus #COVID19

The government have put in place measures for employer requirements to support those who have been instructed to self-isolate. Breaches can be punishable by fines and penalties: Make sure your workers self-isolate You should help your employees self-isolate if they: have coronavirus symptoms and are waiting for a test resulthave tested positive for coronavirusare a … Continue reading Employer duties for those instructed to self-isolate #coronavirus #COVID19 →

Told to self isolate – what must I do? #coronavirus #COVID19

Guidance for workers Legal measures are in place which may affect employees and workers. Employers are also required to support these government measures. The government have provided the following guidance: If you’re told to self-isolate you must stay at home If you’re told to self-isolate you should: explain to your employer that you cannot come … Continue reading Told to self isolate – what must I do? #coronavirus #COVID19 →

Latest Job Retention Scheme stats

The Job Retention Scheme launched on 20 April.  By midnight on 20 September there were a total of:  ➡️9.6m jobs furloughed * ➡️1.2m employers furloughing ** ➡️Total claimed £39.3bn  *This information is now being published monthly by HMRC. Opinion The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is about to enter its last month of operation. No new employees can … Continue reading Latest Job Retention Scheme stats →

Business interruption insurance – treasury letter

Correspondence - Treatment of government grant support schemes in business interruption insurance settlements: Letter from the Economic Secretary to the Treasury to the Association of British Insurers John Glen MP John Glen, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury has written to the Director General of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), Huw Evans. Huw Evans, … Continue reading Business interruption insurance – treasury letter →

New COVID-19 support schemes announced

Dear @PAYadvice, Additional government support has been announced this week for businesses and employees impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19) across the UK. This includes a new Job Support Scheme to protect the jobs of millions of people returning to work, extending the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, extending the VAT cut (from 20% to 5%) for the … Continue reading New COVID-19 support schemes announced →

Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) extended

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) extension will support viable traders who are facing reduced demand over the winter months, covering 20 per cent of average monthly trading profits via a government grant. The SEISS Grant Extension provides critical support to the self-employed. The grant will be limited to self-employed individuals who are currently eligible for the … Continue reading Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) extended →

Job Support Scheme starts 1st November 2020

From 1st November, for the next six months, the Job Support Scheme will protect viable jobs in businesses who are facing lower demand over the winter months due to Covid-19. The Job Support Scheme is designed to protect viable jobs in businesses who are facing lower demand over the winter months due to Covid-19, to … Continue reading Job Support Scheme starts 1st November 2020 →

Tax credits claimants will continue to receive payments even if working fewer hours due to COVID-19

If you claim tax credits and have returned to work after being furloughed but are still temporarily not working your normal hours due to COVID 19 you do not need to tell HMRC. They will continue to use the information they already have until 31st October 2020. Those working reduced hours due to coronavirus or … Continue reading Tax credits claimants will continue to receive payments even if working fewer hours due to COVID-19 →

Supporting and enforcing Self-Isolation #COVID19 #coronavirus

“The best way we can fight this virus is by everyone following the rules and self-isolating if they’re at risk of passing on coronavirus”. The government have announced measures:- Those required by law to self-isolate from 28th September will be supported by payment of £500 for those on lower incomes who cannot work from home … Continue reading Supporting and enforcing Self-Isolation #COVID19 #coronavirus →

Important updates to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Dear @PAYadvice, We’re writing to let you know about upcoming changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and what this means for you.  From 1‌‌ October, HMRC will pay 60% of usual wages up to a cap of £1,875 per month for the hours furloughed employees do not work. What you need to do from 1‌‌ October  Continue to … Continue reading Important updates to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme →

Nearly a million workers used flexible furlough in July

Nearly a million workers returned to their jobs part-time in the first month flexible furlough was introduced. number of workers in retail on furlough halved from the start of the pandemic from 1.85 million to 789,000.the construction sector received more than £2 billion in support with SEISS grants for self-employed workers Flexible furlough began on … Continue reading Nearly a million workers used flexible furlough in July →

Paying Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants back

HMRC have issued new guidance for employers on how to repay grant money. If you’ve claimed too much through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, or you’d like to make a voluntary repayment because you do not want or need the grant to pay your employees’ wages, tax and National Insurance and pension contributions, you can … Continue reading Paying Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants back →

Government to boost capacity in employment tribunal system, giving quicker outcomes for employees and employers

Business Minister Paul Scully introduces raft of technical changes to increase flexibility to employment tribunal system. New reforms to help employment tribunal system hear more cases and open up court space – ensuring a speedier resolution of cases for businesses and employeesenables deployment of a greater range of judicial expertise including non-employment judges into tribunalsrules … Continue reading Government to boost capacity in employment tribunal system, giving quicker outcomes for employees and employers →

Furlough scheme has worked: saving jobs and helping more than half of employees back to work

More than half of those furloughed since May returned to work by mid-August - ONS At the schemes peak in May, 30% of the workforce across the UK was furloughed. The share fell by more than half to 11% by mid-August. To tackle the impact that the coronavirus pandemic had on people’s jobs, businesses and … Continue reading Furlough scheme has worked: saving jobs and helping more than half of employees back to work →

Make sure your business is COVID-19 secure

The government have simplified their #WorkingSafely guidance to highlight the priority steps businesses should take to protect their staff and customers during coronavirus. Check the steps and read the full guidance to make sure your business is COVID-19 secure: Working safely during COVID-19 PAYadvice.UK 13/9/2020

Flexible furlough – 11th September 2020 updated guidance

On 11th September 2020, a new subsection has been added to the guidance 'Work out your employee's usual hours and furloughed hours' to tell employers how to calculate the number of working and furloughed hours for an employee that comes off furlough or flexible furlough partway through a claim period. Employers using this calculation do … Continue reading Flexible furlough – 11th September 2020 updated guidance →

Employer provided flu jabs – taxable benefit? It depends!

Times continue to be very strange with the #COVID19 pandemic. The number of U.K. citizens who qualify for a free flu jab has increased and more employers are facilitating the provision of the flu jab to employees either in the workplace or by other means. So generally medical treatment provided and paid for by the … Continue reading Employer provided flu jabs – taxable benefit? It depends! →

New grants for English businesses affected by local lockdowns

Businesses in England that are required to shut because of local interventions will now be able to claim up to £1,500 per property every three weeks. scheme provides a safety net to further protect jobs where a business is required to closecomes in addition to billions of pounds of existing loans, grants and tax breaks … Continue reading New grants for English businesses affected by local lockdowns →

Thousands of new Work Coach vacancies

The DWP has announced The number of Work Coaches is to be doubled to 27,000 nationally. Employment Minister calls for those who want to make a difference in their communities to apply now.Thousands of new expert Work Coaches to boost support for jobseekers and build back an even stronger economy. From Thursday 10th September 2020, … Continue reading Thousands of new Work Coach vacancies →

Should Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rise?

In the TUC blog by Alex Collinson the TUC state: The current weekly rate of statutory sick pay (SSP) is just £96. This is around one-fifth of average weekly earnings, meaning that if the average worker is off work sick for a week, they lose around 80 per cent of their usual earnings. Current government … Continue reading Should Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rise? →

New measures to suppress #COVID19

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a statement on new measures to suppress the virus and keep the number of infections down. What has changed for businesses in England: From Monday 14 September, you must not meet with people from other households socially in groups of more than 6. This will apply indoors and outdoors. … Continue reading New measures to suppress #COVID19 →

Job Retention Scheme updated Data template

Updated HMRC template to help employers get their data right From today employers can use the HMRC updated template to claim for 100 or more furloughed employees. The XLS and XLMS versions highlight any missing information needed to make a CJRS claim. Where information is missing, fields will be red. Once the missing information is … Continue reading Job Retention Scheme updated Data template →

Tax Gap & the Job retention fraud

HMRC Chief Executive appears at Public Accounts CommitteeJim Harra, HMRC’s Chief Executive and First Permanent Secretary, appeared at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today. You can watch his appearance. Jim Harra, Public Accounts Committee Jim was asked to comment on a range of topics including the tax gap, EU transition the and the Coronavirus Job … Continue reading Tax Gap & the Job retention fraud →

The inspector calls – Is your business COVID-secure

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Is calling on businesses of all sizes and sectors to ensure they are COVID-secure. Is yours? Being COVID-secure means being adaptable to the current guidelines and so HSE’s inspection approach will adapt as workplaces in different sectors get to grips with managing the coronavirus risks that apply to them. … Continue reading The inspector calls – Is your business COVID-secure →

UK diners eat 100 million meals to protect 2 million jobs

The Chancellor today thanked Britons for helping protect thousands of jobs across the UK after statistics revealed that more than 100 million meals were eaten as part of the landmark Eat Out to Help Out scheme. over 100 million meals have been claimed for under the government’s Eat Out to Help Out schemeChancellor thanks Brits … Continue reading UK diners eat 100 million meals to protect 2 million jobs →

2 in 5 working mums face childcare crisis – #COVID19

Around 2 in 5 (41%) working mums with children under 10 can’t get – or are unsure whether they will get – enough childcare to cover the hours they need for work this September, according to a new TUC poll As children around England begin to return to school, an ICM survey for the TUC reveals that many mums are missing … Continue reading 2 in 5 working mums face childcare crisis – #COVID19 →

CJRS2 Deadlines (Flexible Furlough Job Retention)

HMRC has been contacted ‘concerning some employers believing there was a 31 August deadline for making CJRS claims for July (up to 31 July)’. HMRC ‘confirm there are no imminent deadlines. The only deadlines imposed were around the change from CJRS1 to the CJRS Flex (or CJRS 2)’ The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme team at … Continue reading CJRS2 Deadlines (Flexible Furlough Job Retention) →

Changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme from today (1st September 2020)

Dear @PAYadvice We’re writing to remind you about changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)from today and what this means for you or your clients.  From 1‌‌ September HMRC will now pay 70% of usual wages up to a cap of £2,187.50 per month for the hours furloughed employees do not work. What you or your clients need … Continue reading Changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme from today (1st September 2020) →

Expired driving licences automatically extended by 11 months

Photocard licences that expire between 1st February and 31st December 2020 have been extended for 11 months. Under these changes, drivers whose photocard driving licence or entitlement to drive runs out between 1st February 2020 and 31st December 2020 have their entitlement automatically extended from the expiry date, for a period of 11 months. Drivers … Continue reading Expired driving licences automatically extended by 11 months →

New payment for people self-isolating in highest risk areas

People on low incomes who need to self-isolate and are unable to work from home in areas with high incidence of COVID-19 will benefit from a new government payment scheme. Government to implement new payment for people on low incomes in areas with high rates of COVID-19, who need to self-isolate and can’t work from … Continue reading New payment for people self-isolating in highest risk areas →

Over 64 million meals claimed for as Eat Out to Help Out enters fourth week

More than 64 million meals have been enjoyed by diners across the country since the launch of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme. new figures today show that restaurants have claimed for more than 64 million discounted meals as Eat Out to Help Out enters its fourth weekupward trend in meals claimed … Continue reading Over 64 million meals claimed for as Eat Out to Help Out enters fourth week →

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – helping employers get their data right

The HMRC Communications Team have asked PAYadvice to share the following: It’s important that employers provide all the data we need to process their claim. Payment of a grant may be at risk or delayed if a claim is submitted that’s incomplete or incorrect, so we want to help employers get this right. We will … Continue reading Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – helping employers get their data right →