HMRC was forced to acknowledge a problem with its coronavirus job retention scheme calculator in recent weeks that would have harmed struggling workers. A problem was discovered within the online tool which meant claims may have been over or understated.

Lee Murphy, a Director at the Accountancy, commented on this state of affairs: “Mistakes can happen even at HRMC; however, it is disappointing to see the onus falling to the already stretched small businesses owners to correct their claims.

“We hope that HMRC will work with the businesses affected to correct their claims, so that those in need of support receive the correct amount to ensure their future survival.”

These calls should be noted carefully as January’s furlough deadline falls today.

Any claims for furlough days in January 2021 must be made by the end of today, February 15.

When a claimant is ready to claim they’ll need to go through the Government Gateway user ID and password they got when they registered for PAYE online.

Currently, it is not possible to submit a claim more than 14 days before a person’s claim period end date.

When a claim is processed, a reference number will be issued.

HMRC will then check that the claim is correct and will pay the amount by BACs within six working days.

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