9th April 2020 / COVID-19 Updates
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - Payroll Portal Access
The Payroll Portal opens Monday, April 20th. This is great news and in advance of the original proposed date of the end of April. So for those businesses that have furloughed staff (or directors) please see some helpful information below.
The Access rules
To access the portal and to make the claim it is of paramount importance that:
- A PAYE payroll scheme was created and set up on or before 28th February 2020
- You use a UK bank account
- That the business has enrolled for PAYE online. If you haven’t done this yet it is imperative to get the ball rolling. Please use this link to enrol: https://www.gov.uk/paye-online/enrol
Be warned that the activation code could take up to ten days to arrive and it might be sent to the business address which may possibly still be in lockdown.
Who can make the claim?
Only the business and agents authorised to act on behalf of the business for PAYE matters will be able to make the claim. That agent could be the accountant or another third party.
Please note that “file only agents”, which could include some payroll bureaus, will not be able to access the service due to data protection reasons.
The fear
The concern is that there will be thousands of businesses who will have furloughed, have a UK bank account and have an operational PAYE scheme set up… but not online. This could, therefore, delay processing your claim.
Important steps for you to take:
- Check that your business is set up online for PAYE and that you are able to make the claim either through your own access or through an appointed agent which could be your accountant or a Third Party.
- If the scheme is not registered online do so as per the link above as soon as possible. See if you can change the address that the activation code will be sent to or keep an eye out for the activation code (including your business premises).
M.A.D. Accountants are based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, and are specialists in tax and accountancy assistance for businesses and individuals. We're here to make a difference to your business and your life with no-nonsense, jargon-free advice and help.
