What employers need to know about furloughing staff through the recently extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough).

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was put into place to support employers and employees, and avoid staff redundancies as a result of COVID-19.

Originally expected to close at the end of October 2020, the CJRS has since been extended.

To save you from the jargon, our CJRS guide talks you through the scheme.

What is the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extension?

The scheme is for employers of staff who would otherwise have been laid off due to the impact of COVID-19 in the UK.

Instead of making staff redundant, employers can furlough their employees and claim a government grant to help them with employment costs.

The CJRS extension grant is largely similar to what was available to employers in August.

What do employers pay when claiming the CJRS extension?

• The government grant will pay for 80% of the hours not worked by eligible employees, up to a maximum of £2,500 per employee, per month.
• Employers will still need to make National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and pension contributions for the hours that their employees don’t work.
• As the employer you’ll pay your staff as normal for hours that they do work, if any.
• Employers can choose to top up the difference between the 80% payment and employees’ normal salaries, but they don’t have to.

When will the CJRS extension grant be paid?

Previous versions of the CJRS grant have been paid in arrears, meaning that employers have had to up-front the cost themselves, before claiming the grant back.

The government have warned that there will be a brief transition period where employers will continue to receive the grant in arrears.

Who is eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extension?

The CJRS grant is open to any UK based employer with a PAYE scheme.

What if I’ve never used the CJRS before?

Employers can claim support using the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, even if they’ve never previously used it.

Which employees can I claim the CJRS extension for?

Our graphic below shows which employees you’ll be able to claim the CJRS extension for.

What is the minimum amount of time that I can claim for an employee?

Employers can use the CJRS to claim for a minimum period of 7 days. These must be consecutive days.

Can director’s use the CJRS extension?

Directors have been able to claim the CJRS grant through previous versions of the scheme, so it’s expected this will still be the case.

The difficulty for company directors is that they typically take a lower salary as an employee through payroll, and then top this up with dividends.

Because the scheme is based on what goes through payroll, directors of limited companies might not be able to claim much support.

Can staff work whilst furloughed under the CJRS extension?

When the scheme first launched furloughed staff were not permitted to work, but subsequent versions of the scheme have been more flexible.

So, this means that you might:

• Furlough an employee for all of their hours.
• Furlough your employee for part of their hours. This means that you’ll pay them as normal for the hours that they work, and then claim the grant based on unworked hours. Your claim will need to show how many hours the employee would normally work, as well as the number of hours actually worked.
• Employers will be able to claim the grant for 80% of the hours that employees don’t work, based on their ‘usual hours’.

From an employee’s perspective, they’re also allowed to freelance whilst on furlough, or continue working for another employer as usual.

How do I work out an employee’s usual hours for CJRS?

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme guidance refers to your employee’s usual hours. Our table shows you how to work out usual hours, depending on whether your employee works a fixed number of hours or variable hours.

Working out the usual hours for claiming CJRS when employees work fixed or variable hours

Staff that are still able to work from home should do so whilst receiving their normal salary. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is only for the hours that employees are unable to work due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

When does the furlough scheme open?

The grant is for claims which cover 1st November 2020 onwards, though employers have not yet been told when they’ll be able to submit their claims for that period.

When does furlough under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extension end?

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has now been further extended, and will operate until the end of April 2021. The Chancellor confirmed an additional month of support beyond the previous end date of March, in an announcement on 17th December 2020.

What is happening with the Job Support Scheme?

Originally expected to launch on 1st November 2020, the Job Support Scheme (JSS) has been postponed. This is because the government have extended the Coronavirus Job Support Scheme until the end of April 2021.

Can I still claim the Job Retention Bonus?

The Job Retention Bonus was originally available for employers whose previously furloughed staff were continuously employed until January 2021. As the furlough scheme has since been extended until the end of April 2021, the Job Retention Bonus no longer applies.

In his statement announcing the CJRS extension, Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed that another incentive scheme will be made available when the time is right.

How do I use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to make a claim?

To use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, you will need to report:

• How many hours the employee you claim for actually works
• The number of hours they would normally be expected to work.

You’ll also need the following:

• To designate affected employees as furloughed workers.
• Tell your employees about this change (formally, in writing, is the best method).
• The NI number for each furloughed employee;
• As well as their salary;
• And NI and pension contributions, to calculate the amount to claim.

Also required:

• PAYE reference number
• How many employees are being furloughed
• Start and end dates of the claim period
• Amount being claimed
• The UK bank account number and sort code for HMRC to pay the claim
• Contact name
• Phone number
• Employee number
• The company UTR number, or the Companies House reference, or the Self Assessment UTR number

Can a furloughed employee hand in their notice?

Yes, an employee can give notice that they’re leaving an employer even while furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Being on furlough doesn’t affect their normal contractual rights.

Will HMRC publish my details if I claim CJRS for employees?

Yes, HMRC confirm that they start publishing the details of furlough claims from December 2020 onwards. The information is to be available on the GOV.UK website, showing:

• The name of the employer.
• The total value of the claim each month, within a banded range. Individual salary details will not be made available publicly.
• Your company number, if you’re a limited company or LLP.

This means that if we submit a furlough claim on your behalf, HMRC will publish this information.

Employees will also be able to see the details of claims made for them, by viewing their Personal Tax Account.

HMRC have more information about this here.

Visit our Business Support for COVID-19 information hub, or talk to one of the team about our online accountancy services. Call 020 3355 4047, or request a free call back.



About The Author

Katherine Kendrick

An experienced Payroll professional, I hold a CIPP Diploma in Payroll Management and have been working in the sector since 2003. In my spare time I like to be with my friends and family, or doing a spot of pilates.