Furlough Scheme Changes from 1st May - Robinsons London

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Furlough Scheme Changes from 1st May

 

The government has made a number of changes to how the Job Retention Scheme works for furloughed employees, which came into effect from 1st May 2021.  At Robinsons North London Accountants, we can help you navigate these changes.

 

Currently, employees cannot be furloughed if they were not employed past 30 October 2020, and even then a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission must have been made to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 30 October 2020, notifying a payment of earnings for that employee.

This is to change. For pay periods that start on or after 1 May 2021, employees who were employed on 2 March 2021 can be furloughed, provided the organisation has made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 2 March 2021, notifying a payment of earnings for that employee.

The shift in eligibility from 1 May 2021 onwards was confirmed in government guidance on 3 March 2021, presumably as a result of the extension of the Job Retention Scheme until the end of September 2021.

The knock-on impact of this is that organisations will be granted much more flexibility in furlough decisions in the future; they will be able to furlough those who were recruited between 31 October 2020 and 2 March 2021, meaning the scope for furloughing staff is going to be wider.

Organisations will not have to have previously claimed for an employee before 2 March 2021 to claim for periods from starting on or after 1 May 2021.

 

Calculating claims for periods starting on or after 1 May 2021

Due to the change in eligibility highlighted above, the government is outlining updated guidance on how to calculate furlough pay.

It should be remembered that the government will still provide 80% of furloughed staff wages for the time they are not working in May and June 2021. They are not due to start reducing the amount they provide until 1 July 2021.

From July, the government will introduce an employer contribution towards the cost of unworked hours of 10% in July, 20% in August and 20% in September, while the government will contribute the balance up to 80% of total salary.

 

Claiming for staff previously made redundant

For periods beginning on or after 1 May 2021, organisations will no longer be able to furlough staff who were previously made redundant.

 

Furlough after TUPE

From 1 May 2021, organisations are able to furlough employees if they were included on a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC on or before 2 March 2021.

 

Unsure what is applicable to your business?
Here at Robinsons, we can help you.  Speak to the team today.