Find out if you’re eligible and how much you can claim to cover wages for employees on temporary leave (‘furlough’) due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
If you’ve already worked out how much you can claim, you can claim for wages online through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
If you cannot maintain your current workforce because your operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19), you can furlough employees and apply for a grant that covers 80% of their usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions (up to the level of the minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contribution) on that subsidised furlough pay.
This is a temporary scheme in place for 4 months starting from 1 March 2020, but it may be extended if necessary and employers can use this scheme anytime during this period. It is designed to help employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) to retain their employees and protect the UK economy. However, all employers are eligible to claim under the scheme and the government recognises different businesses will face different impacts from coronavirus.
To use the scheme, the steps you’ll need to take are:
- Check if you can claim.
- Calculate 80% of your employees’ wages.
- Claim for your employees’ wages online – the service should be simple to use and any support you need available on GOV.UK.
- Report a payment in PAYE Real Time Information.
Please use the online support and do not contact HMRC unless it is absolutely necessary – any questions should be directed at your agent, representative or our Web chat service.
HMRC will check claims made through the scheme. Payments may be withheld or need to be repaid in full to HMRC if the claim is based on dishonest or inaccurate information or found to be fraudulent.
Dishonest or deliberately fraudulent claims put our essential public services and the protection of livelihoods at risk during these challenging times.
HMRC has put in place an online portal for employees and the public to report suspected fraud in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grants are not classed as state aid.
Who can claim
You must have:
- created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on or before 19 March 2020
- enrolled for PAYE online
- a UK bank account
Any entity with a UK payroll can apply, including businesses, charities, recruitment agencies and public authorities.
