Can my employer do this or are they putting business ahead of health.

[Jennywren2978]

My work initially gave us two options. Either be put on a work rota and work as and when needed whilst get paid the government guarantee pay (£72 over 3months for me who is part time) topped up with what ever if any work hours done or take unpaid leave. I originally chose option two as it worked out better for me with tax credit/uc help being offered. Now they have claimed the government 80% wages cover due to the business being 'closed' but have said because of this fin help we all now must come into work our usual hours to get this pay or take unpaid leave. Its not that I won't get paid as such that annoys me but that I think they are exploiting the help to make everyone work.

Seems like fraud tbh. The government hell for wages is for companies that can't operate due to the shutdown. If they are running as usual they should be paying their own wage bill, not asking the government to pay them

Yeah... that's not allowed. Have you asked them how they've been able to claim as "shut down" whilst still operating?
Maybe call CAB and see where you can go from here.

If you are going in to work then you have not been laid off as a result of Coronavirus and your employer will not legitimately be able to claim the 80% grant from HMRC.