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Coronavirus Resources Thread

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    Coronavirus Resources Thread

    The HMRC pages detail all the support available to all businesses:
    COVID-19: support for businesses - GOV.UK

    And the support available to employees:
    COVID-19: guidance for employees - GOV.UK

    Remember, there is still the Time to Pay service in place. A dedicated Coronavirus service is in place:
    Coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline - GOV.UK

    If you need to get an isolation note because you are ill, go to this page on the NHS 111 site:
    NHS 111 Online - About coronavirus (COVID-19)

    If you live with someone with symptoms and need an isolation note, get it from this page on the NHS main site:
    Self-isolation advice - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    - NHS


    The help available is determined by the type of worker you are:

    1.Employed directly by a company (not an umbrella)
    If your company ‘furloughs’ your role they can claim the CJRS grant from the government. Your employer may be nice and pay you the extra 20% so you lose nothing but they are not obliged to do so. The company cannot ask you to do any work while your role is in this state. This grant can be backdated to 1 March 2020 and is initially designed to be available for three months.

    HMRC have issued guidance to employees to help them understand the scheme and what your options are:
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if...tention-scheme

    If your role is not furloughed but you are instructed to take time off sick (because you are ill or need to isolate) you are entitled to statutory sick pay from day one. Your employer can choose to pay your usual salary but they are not obliged to do so. Check your employment contract and talk to HR.
    https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay

    If you have been with the company >24 months and are laid off, you are entitled to statutory redundancy pay. Less than this, and you are only entitled to be paid your notice period. You will then need to claim universal credit.

    2.Employed by an umbrella company
    This is unclear at present. Needs input from the Umbrella companies.

    In theory, if the client furloughs the role with intent to start it up again, the umbrella could claim the CJRS grant from the government and pay it over to you less all the usual deductions.

    If your role is not furloughed but you are instructed to take time off sick (because you are ill or need to isolate) you are entitled to statutory sick pay from day one.

    If the client cancels your contract, you can claim universal credit. You are not entitled to statutory redundancy pay and it’s hit and miss whether the client will pay your notice period (a topic discussed in depth elsewhere).


    3.Self-employed (not a Ltd company owner)
    You can defer the self-assessment payment due on 31 July 2020 to 31 January 2021. You do not need to tell HMRC you are doing this. You will not incur any interest or penalties if you choose to defer the payment.

    You can apply for a grant from the self-employment income support scheme if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you:
    • have submitted your Income Tax Self-Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19
    • traded in the tax year 2019-20
    • are trading when you apply, or would be except for COVID-19
    • intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020-21
    • have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19

    Your self-employed trading profits must also be less than £50,000 and more than half of your income come from self-employment. This is determined by at least one of the following conditions being true:
    • having trading profits/partnership trading profits in 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your total taxable income
    • having average trading profits in 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your average taxable income in the same period

    If you started trading between 2016-19, HMRC will only use those years for which you filed a Self-Assessment tax return.

    This scheme is not yet available. HMRC will contact you if you are eligible for the scheme and invite you to apply online.
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-...support-scheme

    Article on AccountingWeb that gives more clarity on eligbility and how the scheme will work:
    https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tax/...-details-right

    You may be able to claim universal credit, if you meet the criteria:
    https://www.gov.uk/self-employment-and-universal-credit

    Also check the links in section 4 below as some of these measures are also available to the self-employed.

    4.Owner of Limited Company
    You can defer the self-assessment payment due on 31 July 2020 to 31 January 2021. You do not need to tell HMRC you are doing this. You will not incur any interest or penalties if you choose to defer the payment.

    Options available include the below but do check the link at the top for everything that’s available:

    • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
    You may be able to claim the CJRS grant, of 80% of salary up to £2500 per month, if you are operating a PAYE scheme. If you are paying yourself a minimal wage, then the amount you can claim will be very small.
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-fo...tention-scheme

    Futher scheme details were published on 13 April. See post #8, below, for the latest information.

    • Deferring VAT payments
    If you have a payment due between 1 March and 30 June, you can defer it. Make sure your VAT return is submitted on time, as usual. There is no need to tell HMRC you are deferring the payment. Information about how/when to pay the deferred VAT is not yet available.
    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deferral...virus-covid-19

    • Business Interruption Loan Scheme
    The temporary Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme supports SMEs with access to loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance of up to £5 million and for up to 6 years.

    The government will also make a Business Interruption Payment to cover the first 12 months of interest payments and any lender-levied fees, so smaller businesses will benefit from no upfront costs and lower initial repayments.

    The government will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on each loan (subject to pre-lender cap on claims) to give lenders further confidence in continuing to provide finance to SMEs. The scheme will be delivered through commercial lenders, backed by the government-owned British Business Bank.

    There are 40 accredited lenders able to offer the scheme, including all the major banks
    https://www.british-business-bank.co...-and-partners/

    • Bounce Back Loan Scheme
    Launched on 4 May
    See separate post below for details
    https://www.contractoruk.com/forums/...ml#post2767974


    =======
    CHANGE LOG
    This post will be updated with latest information and validated feedback as it becomes available. Changes will be in blue.
    07-APR: Added extra information to sections 1 and 3
    13-APR: Link added to updated post #8 with info on CJRS
    04-MAY: Added information about the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)
    Last edited by ladymuck; 4 May 2020, 11:07.

    #2
    Thanks Ladymuck - duly stuck.


    More information here Coronavirus Financial Help & Rights


    And here: Coronavirus (COVID-19) hub | IPSE
    "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
    - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

    Comment


      #3
      Agency PAYE

      If you are intermediary Agency PAYE are you in a similar position to being 'employed' by an Umbrella ?

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by morty1961 View Post
        If you are intermediary Agency PAYE are you in a similar position to being 'employed' by an Umbrella ?
        I'd say so, but would want to wait for someone with more knowledge to confirm.

        Comment


          #5
          Not confirmed, yet, but some Umbrella notes here that indicate furloughed Umbrella workers might be eligible for the CJRS grant.

          COVID-19 Government Updates - What we know so far

          Interesting note about "Have been employed and registered on the payroll of their umbrella company before 28th February 2020". Its not clear if this is just that Umbrella, or a wider rule.

          Its also reaffirms the expectation that PSC directors will be able to claim 80% of their salary (not dividends)
          Last edited by Paralytic; 30 March 2020, 07:59.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Paralytic View Post
            Not confirmed, yet, but some Umbrella notes here that indicate furloughed Umbrella workers might be eligible for the CJRS grant.

            COVID-19 Government Updates - What we know so far

            Interesting note about "Have been employed and registered on the payroll of their umbrella company before 28th February 2020". Its not clear if this is just that Umbrella, or a wider rule.

            Its also reaffirms the expectation that PSC directors will be able to claim 80% of their salary (not dividends)
            The Government rules are that anyone being furloughed has to have been on payroll before 28th February 2020 to avoid fraudulent claims.
            merely at clientco for the entertainment

            Comment


              #7
              Statutory Sick Pay Rebate

              At Budget 2020 the Chancellor announced details about a new coronavirus (COVID-19) Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme.

              This scheme will allow small and medium sized employers, with fewer than 250 employees, to apply to HMRC to recover the costs of paying Statutory Sick Pay to their employees.

              HMRC has published new online guidance which includes information about who can use the scheme and the records employers must keep.

              HMRC is working urgently to set up a system for reimbursement. Existing systems are not set up to facilitate payments to employers.

              Details about when the new Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme can be accessed and when employers can make a claim will be announced as soon as possible

              Comment


                #8
                CJRS update from HMRC
                Date of HMRC update: 09/04/2020
                Date of post update: 13/04/2010

                If you’re eligible for the scheme, there are things that you can do now to be ready when the system is up and running later this month.

                You’ll need to provide the following to make a claim:
                1. The bank account number and sort code you’d like us to use when we pay your claim.
                2. The name and phone number of the person in your business for us to call with any questions.
                3. Your Self-Assessment UTR (Unique Tax Reference), Company UTR or CRN (Company Registration Number).
                4. The name, employee number and National Insurance number for each of your furloughed employees.
                5. The total amount being claimed for all employees and the total furlough period.

                If you use an agent who is authorised to act for you for PAYE purposes, they will be able to make a claim on your behalf, so please speak to them now.

                However, if you use a file-only agent (files your RTI return but doesn’t act for you in other matters), they won’t be able to make a claim for you and you’ll need the information listed above from them to make the claim yourself.

                For more detailed advice, please visit GOV.UK. This guidance is being regularly updated, so please review it frequently.

                You may also find this recorded webinar helpful, 'Coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Retention Scheme', available on HMRC’s YouTube channel.

                The scheme is not yet open for applications. This post will be updated when new information is received.
                Last edited by ladymuck; 13 April 2020, 09:49.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Further CJRS updates

                  An important change to the scheme relating to employee eligibility:
                  • you can claim for employees that were employed as of 19 March 2020 and were on your PAYE payroll on or before that date; this means that you will have made an RTI submission notifying us of payment of that employee on or before 19 March 2020
                  • employees that were employed as of 28 February 2020 and on payroll (i.e. notified to us on an RTI submission on or before 28 February) and were made redundant or stopped working for you after that, and prior to 19 March 2020, can also qualify for the scheme if you re-employ them and put them on furlough.

                  More information on this can be found on GOV.UK.

                  How to claim
                  As you prepare to make a claim, please note:
                  • the online claim service will be launched on GOV.UK on 20 April 2020 – please do not try to access it before this date as it won’t be available
                  • the only way to make a claim is online – the service should be simple to use and any support you need available on GOV.UK; this will include help with calculating the amount you can claim
                  • you can make the claim yourself even if you usually use an agent
                  • claims will be paid within 6 working days; you should not contact us unless it is absolutely necessary – any queries should be directed to your agent, representative or our webchat service
                  • we cannot answer any queries from employees – they will need to raise these with you, as their employer, directly.

                  Information you will need before you make a claim
                  In addition to the information in our previous email, you will need to have the following before 20 April 2020:
                  • a Government Gateway (GG) ID and password – if you don’t already have a GG account, you can apply for one online, or by going to GOV.UK and searching for 'HMRC services: sign in or register'
                  • be enrolled for PAYE online – if you aren’t registered yet, you can do so now, or by going to GOV.UK and searching for 'PAYE Online for employers'
                  • the following information for each furloughed employee you will be claiming for:
                    1. Name.
                    2. National Insurance number.
                    3. Claim period and claim amount.
                    4. PAYE/employee number (optional).
                  • if you have fewer than 100 furloughed staff – you will need to input information directly into the system for each employee
                  • if you have 100 or more furloughed staff – you will need to upload a file with information for each employee; we will accept the following file types: .xls .xlsx .csv .ods.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Bounce Back Loan Scheme

                    Launched on 4 May. Key information here:

                    Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) - for Businesses and Advisors - British Business Bank British Business Bank

                    Application is to an accredited bank, currently supplied by those listed here:
                    Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) - Current Accredited Lenders and Partners - British Business Bank British Business Bank

                    WHO IS ELIGIBLE

                    Your business must be able to self‑declare to the lender that it:
                    • has been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
                    • was not a business in difficulty at 31 December 2019 (if it was, you must confirm your business complies with additional state aid restrictions under de minimis state aid rules)
                    • is engaged in trading or commercial activity in the UK and was established by 1 March 2020
                    • is not using the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) or the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility Scheme (CCFF), unless the Bounce Back Loan will refinance the whole of the CBILS, CLBILS or CCFF facility
                    • is not in bankruptcy or liquidation or undergoing debt restructuring at the time it submits its application for finance
                    • derives more than 50% of its income from its trading activity (this requirement does not apply to charities or further-education colleges)
                    • is not in a restricted sector (see below)



                    Note: The above is not an exhaustive list – see the Frequently asked questions for more information.

                    Bounce Back Loans are available to businesses in all sectors, except the following:
                    • Credit institutions (falling within the remit of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive)
                    • Insurance companies
                    • Public-sector organisations
                    • State-funded primary and secondary schools


                    If one bank turns you down, you can apply to another bank.

                    Last edited by ladymuck; 4 May 2020, 11:08.

                    Comment

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