The CJRS portal went live on Monday morning and thousands of claims have been processed already. The portal is holding up well and submissions are going through.
To access the portal please use this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme.
HMRC has also created a video to assist with your application which can be viewed below.
Here are some of our findings after spending most of the week working with the system:
HMRC Online Services
Many companies have assumed that their agents automatically have Authority to Act for PAYE, but this is often not the case. Therefore HMRC have expedited the registration process for company HMRC Online Services accounts. Currently the account can be set up almost instantly in order to facilitate the submission, rather than having to wait for codes to be sent via surface mail. This is a welcome concession from HMRC at a time when speed is of the essence.
Details of how to register for HMRC Online Services can be found at https://www.gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services/register
Amending Submissions
Currently if a submission is made it cannot be altered. Please ensure that any claim you make is fully complete and accurate before submission. HMRC are working on a facility to amend claims but have not announced its arrival date as yet.
Speaking to HMRC
If you encounter any issues while submitting a claim or making the calculations, the HMRC Coronavirus helpline is currently answering calls quickly. The lines are only open until 4:00pm, the number is 0800 024 1222. We have found advisors helpful and knowledgeable considering how new the entire system is.
For further information or assistance please contact our dedicated CJRS team: furloughleave@cowgills.co.uk.
Disclaimer
The information was correct at time of publishing but may now be out of date.
