[ad_1]
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) introduced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) towards the end of March last year to protect employees when the country moved into the first national lockdown and help prevent the spread of the pandemic.
During the 18-months of various local and national lockdowns, figures from HMRC show that by August 2021, some 11.6million workers had been put on furlough at some point with 1.3million employers receiving UK Government support to help pay their wages.
The furlough scheme ended on September 30 with applications for that month closing on October 14, however, HMRC has announced that employers who missed that deadline, may still be able to submit a late claim.
New guidance on GOV.UK explains the criteria which must be met in order to make a late claim and how to check the guidance for the furlough scheme.
Here is an overview of the guide, which you can read in full on GOv.UK here.
Criteria for making a late claim
For claim periods from November 1, 2020, HMRC may accept late claims or amendments if you have:
- Taken reasonable care to try and claim on time
- A reasonable excuse
- Claimed as soon as your reasonable excuse no longer applies
As soon as you are ready to make a late claim or amendment, you need to:
- Check if you have a reasonable excuse
- Make sure you have all the information you need to process your claim
- Contact HMRC using the helpline to check with an advisor if you can claim
If your reasonable excuse is accepted, the advisor will process your claim over the phone.
Examples of a reasonable excuse accepted by HMRC
A reasonable excuse could include:
- Your partner or another close relative died shortly before the claim deadline
- You had an unexpected stay in hospital that prevented you from dealing with your claim
- You had a serious or life-threatening illness, including Covid-19 related illnesses, which prevented you from making your claim – and no one else could claim for you
- A period of self-isolation prevented you from making your claim – and no one else could make the claim for you
- Your computer or software failed just before or while you were preparing your online claim
- Service issues with HMRC online at GOV.UK prevented you from making your claim
- A fire prevented you them from making your claim
- A flood or theft prevented you them from making your claim
- A theft prevented you them from making your claim
- Postal delays that you could not have predicted prevented you from making your claim
- Delays related to a disability you have prevented you from making your claim
- An HMRC error prevented you from making your claim
HMRC also advises employers: “If you made an error in your claim and did not receive enough money you must still pay your employees the correct amount.”
You can check guidance for the furlough scheme on GOV.UK here.
Did you know there are a number of ways you can stay up to date with the latest money saving and benefits news from the Daily Record?
You can join the conversation on our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group for money-saving tips, benefits news, consumer help and advice plus the latest shopping deals.
Sign up to our weekly Record Money newsletter to get our best stories sent straight to your inbox. You can sign up either by entering your email address in the sign up box further up this page or click here.
You can also follow our Twitter account @Recordmoney_ for regular updates here.
How to contact HMRC
Use HMRC’s digital assistant, a bit like webchat, to find more information about the Covid-19 support schemes – find out more here.
You can also contact HMRC if you cannot get the help you need online by calling 0800 024 1222 – lines are open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm.
However, HMRC warns potential callers: “We are receiving a very high number of calls, so do not contact us unnecessarily. This will help us manage our essential public services during these challenging times.”
You should also be aware that “there is no right of appeal if you are ineligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme”.
You should contact HMRC if you think you do not meet the eligibility criteria due to:
- An HMRC error
- Unreasonable delays caused by HMRC
For more information about making a late claim for furlough support, visit the GOv.UK website here.
Get the latest money-saving and benefits news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our weekly Money newsletter here.
[ad_2]
Source link
