COVID-19 Updates – VAT and Job Retention Scheme
Please see below information and links to more updated information:
VAT
The Chancellor announced a VAT payments deferral on 20 March to support businesses with cashflow during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This means that all businesses with a UK VAT registration have the option to defer VAT payments due between 20 March and 30 June. Businesses have until 31 March 2021 to pay any VAT deferred as a result of this announcement.
Businesses do not need to inform HMRC if they wish to defer payment. They can opt in to the deferral simply by not making VAT payments due in this period.
Businesses who normally pay by direct debit should cancel their direct debit with their bank if they are unable to pay. This can be done online if they’re registered for online banking. They should do so in sufficient time so that HMRC does not attempt to automatically collect on receipt of their VAT return.
Should they wish, businesses can continue to make payments as normal during the deferral period. HMRC will also continue to pay repayment claims as normal. Businesses must continue to submit VAT returns as normal.
For more information please go to GOV.UK and search “Deferral of VAT payment”.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Please see below further information received today:
The government is committed to doing whatever it takes to support businesses and individuals through the Coronavirus pandemic. On 20 March as part of these efforts the Chancellor announced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
This funding will be open to all employers with a PAYE payroll scheme that was created and started on or before 28 February 2020, including charities. Employers can apply for grants of 80% of furloughed employees’ (employees on a leave of absence) 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, provided they keep the worker employed. The scheme will cover the cost of wages backdated to 1 March 2020, if applicable.
HMRC have been working night and day to develop this scheme, and we can now confirm that we have been able to publish further details of the scheme on GOV.UK. We are aiming to have the scheme up and running by the end of April 2020. More detailed guidance will be published in due course and please be assured we will advise you when the scheme is open.
Guidance for employers is available on GOV.UK. You may also find the guidance for employees helpful.
We recommend you view the guidance which will be updated as the scheme is further developed, and in line with any further government announcements.
All content provided in this blog is for information purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.
