Covid-19 Latest Information 11 August 2020

Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) – second grant

Claims can be made for the second, and final, grant under SEISS from 17 August 2020.   If you can confirm that your business has been adversely affected on or after 14 July 2020, you’ll be able to make a claim for the second grant.  You can claim for this grant even if you did not make a claim for the first grant. 

As with the first grant, HMRC will contact you if it considers you may be eligible for the second grant. 

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Just a reminder that the changes to the scheme start to take effect this month: 

• From 1 August 2020, the government will continue to pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 but employers will pay employers’ National Insurance Contributions and pension contributions
• From 1 September 2020, the government will pay 70% of wages up to a cap of £2,187.50 for the hours the employee does not work – employers will pay employers’ National Insurance Contributions, pension contributions and 10% of wages to make up 80% of the total up to a cap of £2,500
• From 1 October 2020, the government will pay 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875 for the hours the employee does not work – employers will pay employers’ National Insurance Contributions, pension contributions and 20% of wages to make up 80% of the total up to a cap of £2,500
• the cap on the furlough grant will be proportional to the hours not worked.

Coronavirus Job Retention Bonus

Employers will be able to claim a one-off payment of £1,000 for every employee they have previously received a grant for under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and who remains continuously employed through to the end of January 2021.  To be eligible, the employee must have received earnings in November, December and January, and must have been paid an average of at least £520 per month, and a total of at least £1,560 across the three months.

As an employer, you will be able to claim the bonus after you have filed PAYE information for January 2021, and the bonus will be paid from February 2021.

More detailed guidance will be available by the end of September.