HMRC expects the scheme to be up and running by the end of April.

 

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a temporary scheme open to all UK employers for at least three months starting from 1 March 2020. We expect the scheme to be up and running by the end of April. It is designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).

 

Employers can use a portal to claim for 80% of furloughed employees’ (employees on a leave of absence) usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on that wage. Employers can use this scheme anytime during this period.

 

The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on 28 February 2020.

 

To be eligible for the subsidy, when on furlough, an employee can not undertake work for or on behalf of the organisation. This includes providing services or generating revenue.

 

Claims can be backdated until the 1 March if applicable.

 

Once HMRC have received your claim and you are eligible for the grant, they will pay it via BACS payment to a UK bank account.

 

More details:

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme?utm_source=e5c5e96a-22e4-4437-b9be-5e771d15378e&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme?utm_source=7835fc20-12dd-44de-ba10-c24b96232b47&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate