Job Retention Scheme claim corrections and risks…

Since the launch of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme claim corrections have been one of the biggest concerns for employers. Knowing that it’s extremely likely that HMRC will want to review claims at some point in the future, the pressure has been immense to ensure 100% accuracy on claims.

Correcting Claim Errors

On 5th June HMRC amended their guidance to enable the employer to adjust the amount of a current claim to take account of an earlier over-claim. There is also a tick box to say a correction is being made.

There is currently no equivalent process for any under-claim.

The only way to correct an under-claim at the moment is to call HMRC’s Coronavirus technical helpline on 0800 024 1222. An HMRC officer can create an additional claim and provide a claims reference number.

Have you claimed all that you are eligible for?

HMRC figures show that 40% of claims do not include Employers National Insurance costs or Employers Pension Contributions, which can both be included.

Do double check that your claims are complete!

If you’re found to have over claimed…

The draft legislation around the Job Retention Scheme allows HMRC to claw back any incorrect claims. Where a claim has been over-stated, a penalty of up to 100% of the original claim amount can also be charged.

This would be in addition to the claw back of the original amount paid.

If you’ve made any such claims through the Furlough scheme, please make sure that you keep all the details for six years. Given the cost of the scheme, it’s highly likely that you’ll be asked to provide the information for scrutiny at some point.