Submitting HMRC Furlough Claims:
At French Duncan we have already submitted over £2.5m of client furlough claims to HMRC, meaning that monies are already on the way into their bank accounts to ease any cash flow worries.
We could also help you submit yours. If you'd like to discuss simply email Linda Kelly, our Head of Payroll, at L.Kelly@frenchduncan.co.uk.
This page was written Wednesday 15th April, updated 6pm Monday 20th April.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was announced on 20 March 2020 by the government to support employers severely affected by the coronavirus in paying their staff provided they are ‘furloughed’ - a new concept in the UK world of work which essentially means a temporary paid leave of absence supported by the government through a grant claim.
The HMRC portal went live on 20 April 2020 – exactly one month after the government’s initial announcement.
If you are considering furlough for your business, or you have already furloughed staff, please see our 10 Step Guide to furloughing staff (click here), our FREE Furlough Template documents (click here) and our Guide to Holidays and Furlough (click here) for further information. All resources can also be found on frenchduncan.co.uk/covid-19.
As the portal is now live, we have been asked by many employers what happens next in terms of making the claim. As it is early days, many of the practicalities of making the claim are not yet clear and we will continue to keep you updated on developments.
However, in the meantime, below is our initial guidance on how to make a claim.
Preparing to make a claim
Before you log into the portal, it is advisable to have all of the information you will need to hand. You may have received communications from the HMRC advising of the basic information you will be asked to submit as part of your claim, and below is a summary of this information.
We have also prepared the attached FREE template spreadsheet (click here) you can download to help you keep all this information in one place.
Details about the company, including:
2. Details on the employees you want to furlough, including:
Details about your claim, including:
Please note,
How to claim
Below is a link to the portal where you will be required to sign in using your Government Gateway ID:
https://www.access.service.gov.uk/login/signin/creds
So far, there have been a few capacity issues which was not unexpected given HMRC have pulled together the portal and the guidance on the operation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in the space of a month which we imagine has been no mean feat.
After you have made your claim
You will receive a claim reference number once your claim is submitted. You should receive your claim within 6 working days via BACS once the HMRC have checked your claim.
The HMRC reserve the right to audit all claims made, and you should therefore keep records of the calculations and what you have claimed for a period of 6 years.
Further Support
As always, we are here to support you through this and other coronavirus related issues:
Contact us
As always, we would be happy to further support you with your queries around this or any other coronavirus related matters. Please contact C.McEleney@frenchduncan.co.uk to arrange a free consultation.
It’s just our way of trying to help.
French Duncan. The people for you.
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Louise McCosh
HR Director
l.mccosh@frenchduncan.co.uk
0141 221 2984
0141 221 2984
Specialisms include...
Louise is a highly experienced and qualified HR specialist who leads French Duncan HR Services. With over 10 years experience in HR, Louise has a Masters in HR Management, a law degree and is a chartered member of the CIPD and a trained ACAS mediator.
Louise and the rest of the team at French Duncan HR Services work with a wide variety of organisations providing support in employment matters, including SMEs, Owner Managed Business and Not-For-Profit organisations on an on going basis providing advice and guidance in relation to tricky people issues including disciplinary, grievance, absence, redundancy and TUPE. The team can also work on specialist projects such as HR documentation, HR projects, HR training and mediation. For further details or to sign up for regular employment updates, please visit our website.
For a free initial consultation meeting, please contact Louise McCosh on 0141 221 2984 or email l.mccosh@frenchduncan.co.uk.
Lois McMurtrie
HR Manager
l.mcmurtrie@frenchduncan.co.uk
0141 221 2984
0141 221 2984
l.mcmurtrie@frenchduncan.co.uk
Specialisms include...
Lois is an experienced HR Specialist in HR and Employment Law Compliance, and provides exceptional support to FDHR clients:
Linda Kelly
Director & Head of Payroll
l.kelly@frenchduncan.co.uk
01786 435 332
01786 435 332
Specialisms include...
Linda joined French Duncan when the firm merged with Macfarlane Gray in 2001. She has played a significant role in the growth of the firm, previously managing the workflow and business development and more recently in the last few years has established French Duncan’s Payroll team.
Linda was promoted to Head of Payroll in 2017, and since then has grown the team to 10. The team are based at our Stirling office and provide services to a wide range of clients from Aberdeen to London.
Understanding from first-hand experience the challenges faced by family businesses, Linda uses this knowledge to assist her in her dealings with existing and potential clients.