To report my employer for furlough fraud

[djeorh]

Furloughed for over 3 months but carried on working - at first I was told I didn't have to but then more and more work was sent my way including big projects that needed to be done ASAP.

These projects are now 80% of the way done as I've been doing them on furlough. However I now find out they are considering making me redundant or offering me a part time contract in September once projects are done.

I feel they have taken advantage of me and pressured me to do the projects on furlough and then hit me with this bombshell. I'm so angry I want to report them, but doing so would probably make the company go under and make innocent colleagues lose their jobs.

Definitely report. I'd also want to find out how concrete is the news that you'll be made redundant/put on a part time contract.

Please report them. Taxpayers are funding this and it's just wrong

Over 200,000 people have reportedly reported furlough fraud to HM Revenue & Customs.

"Do not try to find out more about the tax evasion or let anyone know you’re making a report. You do not have to give your personal details, and any information will be treated as confidential."

Cynic mode:

(six months later) What report ? We have no record of a report ? Too late now. Sorry.

Report

@ILoveTotoror

Fingers and toes crossed for your DH's job.

@Parker231

Over 200,000 people have reportedly reported furlough fraud to HM Revenue & Customs.

The more there are the less likely it is anyone will be caught.

That's years of work for HRMC - on top of whatever they already do, plus the extra work to deliver the no-deal Brexit we signed up for.

Seeing as they are considering getting rid of juries to speed up backlogged trials, I can't see HRMC getting the resources to tackle this. Certainly not to tackle it and get it right at the same time.

Anyway, it seems tax fraud and corruption are now in vogue again. I guess we need to move with the times.

Would I be in trouble because I have carried on working on furlough though - could I be prosecuted for fraud?

Absolutely report them! This is Fraud. No better than benefit fraud.

It’s our kids who are going to be paying for this for years to come!!

@Pineapple1

So... They have had you doing work. And paying you with tax payer cash!?

Errrm.

Report them asap

Yes. Fraud isn't acceptable and they know it.

No OP. The HMRC will have a duty of care to provide to anyone that whistle blows. Plus you dont have to give them your details if you dont need to

@djeorh

Would I be in trouble because I have carried on working on furlough though - could I be prosecuted for fraud?

i would argue that you were coerced into doing it -and are reporting it because it's unfair and you were happy to volunteer but feel they are committing fraud.

My taxes to pay a company for someone still working -no. Yes for furlough no for working. I assume the company is still charging their clients and not this isn't some sort of mass -let's work for free, client doesn't pay, business doesn't gain anything ?? No. (not free but let the public ppay!)

@SerendipityJane

You can report furlough fraud to HMRC here:

Call me cynical, but I suspect the other end of that is piped directly into the bin. I can't see there being a great political appetite for admitting the furlough scheme - the jewel in the crown of the UKs world beating response to C-19 - was shambolic enough to allow such casual fraud.

I wonder if there's a Facebook or Twitter page to post it to so the whole world can know.

But, if you trust - really trust HMRC - to do the right thing, go ahead.

Nope. HMRC are already putting the investigation teams together.

When this is all over there's going to be some serious audit inspections taking place. Anonymous tip-offs will be right at the top of the pile once they start the audits, because they will want to tackle the easy cases first.

@bridgetreilly

As soon as you were on furlough you should have stopped checking your work email and refused to do any work. That was made absolutely crystal clear in the regulations. And yes, definitely report your employer for fraud. It's disgusting.

This is not OPs fault. Workplaces implied that those on furlough were at risk of redundancy - who would want to push themselves to the front of the redundancy queue by refusing to things when asked. They should not have asked. It is the employers fault and OP is absolutely not in the wrong at all.

Report - it is our kids who will be paying for this type of thing for years to come.

It's your emplyer who has applied for the furlough, not you, so it's on them, you have done nothing wrong here, you deserved to be paid for the work you did, it'd not your fault that your employer has claimed for it when they shouldn't

Nope. HMRC are already putting the investigation teams together.

I will be impressed if they are as resourced as the DWP fraud teams.

Or indeed if they exist at all. Since it seems to be SOP for this government to issue statements and then do nothing.

Either way, it's entirely possible in the long run, this is going to turn out to be the least of our worries.

I'd say report them. Or you could tell them you'll not report them if they guarantee your employment for at least the next 3 years?
But tbh - you need to report them. Fuckers.

Unfortunately the sheer volume of cases mean it is less likely that individual employers will be caught

@Notajogger

Report - it is our kids who will be paying for this type of thing for years to come.

My heart is breaking to think that in 30 years time, when the current generation of newborns are counting their woes, this won't even be in the top 20.

By all means report. But I would not be surprised if fuck all happens.

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, tax fraud is a criminal offence. There is no de minimis. Please report this (anonymously if you feel that is needed) and have confidence that HMRC will follow it up. They are well aware of the potential for fraudulent claims and will be checking a lot of companies as a consequence.
DO NOT tip off your employer in any way as that would leave you in an awkward position if the investigation ended up in a criminal prosecution.

Most companies will settle with HMRC and pay back what they owe without going to court.

Definitely report, OP. You are not responsible for where your pay actually comes from so this is entirely on them for making a false claim.

A lot of employees are still on furlough because their companies are too quiet for full wages to be paid, this is the intended use at this point. Once business picks up and they can afford to pay you then you can do work for them, it’s a hard balance because until they release details of the part time furlough scheme we have been unable to bring everyone back despite our sector not being forced to close.

I think that the part time furlough option should have been available from the start for business who were encouraged to stay open, it could have avoided abuse of the system.

The HMRC will have a duty of care to provide to anyone that whistle blows

What, like the one who interviewed the person I reported with my letter placed on top of the file for everyone to see?? It's worth remembering that these people have no accountability whatsoever, and that that you need to look after yourself when dealing with them because they certainly won't

Sadly I have to agree with Serendipity here. No doubt a lot of headline-grabbing noises will be made about "thorough investigations", but in the end they'll almost certainly write the whole thing off ... because it is, after all, not their money which will pay for it

OP, report them them ASAP. They are taking the piss out of the taxpayer.

Report, definitely.