Furlough extended to end June

[bathsh3ba]

This is depressing. I guess that means they don't intend to relax lockdown in any way before then - but won't we then just get a second wave in time for flu season?

@bathsh3ba I'm sorry, but you need to have been in a job for 2 years to get statutory redundancy.

@Beebityboo

I heard it on R4 earlier. It’s under 45s with no underlying health conditions.

But I think if furlough period hadn't been extended then the consultation period would have had to start, for companies that have over 100 employees, if they can't afford to pay them without government help. If furlough hadn't been introduced more people would already be on notice for redundancy. Furlough may only delay the inevitable unfortunately.

beebity
The covid death data is here (actual, all locations)
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19englandandwales/deathsoccurringinmarch2020
Figure 5 is the key one

I wonder whether it is like this to enable a gradual return. I work for a small business that is a supply chain to retail. Shops closed while we still had orders to complete.... but for the release of lockdown we will not get any incoming work until the shops open (as well as our own suppliers). If lockdown finished tomorrow I still wouldn't be required at work because there wouldnt be anything for me to do.

@bathsh3ba 2 years or more for statutory redundancy pay

45 days Redundancy consultation is only required if you are making over 100 people redundant. If the employer is going bust, in practice they are not going to be able to do this.

@ LooQoo yeah true! Hard to know I suppose!

Even when we reopen though - we probably will have less children as we had quite a few people drop out as they can’t afford nursery anymore!

So if we have less numbers we will need less staff - so I suppose we can leave some staff on furlough and some can come back to work

A condition of being eligible for furlough pay from the CJRS is that the worker would otherwise have been made redundant. So unfortunately anyone on furlough currently is very naive if they think they get a 3 or 4 month holiday and then return to their old job on the same terms and same pay. Coronavirus is going to have long term economic implications including a massive rebalancing of the workforce in many industries

@KaptenKrusty

If there is a business need for lower staff numbers, I would expect redundancies, not ever extending furlough.

How do employers get these payments - it's still not online!

I’m not surprised as early indication were 12wks which took us to mid June. I think it’s v unrealistic to expected all businesses to be open and running as normal by June. That said, it doesn’t mean all businesses will still be closed by then either though

How do employers get these payments - it's still not online!
Its apparently going online on Monday and will probably crash and employers should get the money within 6 working days.

BBC
It will be done through the PAYE system
same as the SE one is being done through the SA system

Presumably employers have to submit their bank details through the same account as they file their RTI and the numbers will be cross referenced

Sunak is not dumb. He listens to Civil servants. It will be made as simple as possible.

Employers should be able to reclaim from HMRC but unfortunately the portal has not been set up yet, but hopefully will be shortly. But will mean most employers will have to pay 2 months salaries covered by furlough before they get any repayment from the government, so unfortunately some companies will fail before they get this relief.

@BBCONEANDTWO this is the updated information (as of yesterday) on gov website. The claim service will be launched on Monday.....

How to claim
As you prepare to make a claim, please note:
• the online claim service will be launched on GOV.UK on 20 April 2020 – please do not try to access it before this date as it won’t be available
• the only way to make a claim is online – the service should be simple to use and any support you need available on GOV.UK; this will include help with calculating the amount you can claim
• you can make the claim yourself even if you usually use an agent
• claims will be paid within 6 working days; you should not contact us unless it is absolutely necessary – any queries should be directed to your agent, representative or our webchat service
• we cannot answer any queries from employees – they will need to raise these with you, as their employer, directly.
Information you will need before you make a claim
In addition to the information in our previous email, you will need to have the following before 20 April 2020:
• a Government Gateway (GG) ID and password – if you don’t already have a GG account, you can apply for one online, or by going to GOV.UK and searching for 'HMRC services: sign in or register'
• be enrolled for PAYE online – if you aren’t registered yet, you can do so now, or by going to GOV.UK and searching for 'PAYE Online for employers'
• the following information for each furloughed employee you will be claiming for:

1. Name.
2. National Insurance number.
3. Claim period and claim amount.
4. PAYE/employee number (optional). • if you have fewer than 100 furloughed staff – you will need to input information directly into the system for each employee • if you have 100 or more furloughed staff – you will need to upload a file with information for each employee; we will accept the following file types: .xls .xlsx .csv .ods. If you want an agent to act for you Please note: • agents authorised to act for you on PAYE matters can make the claim on your behalf using their ID and password • you will need to tell your agent which UK bank account you want the grant to be paid into, in order to ensure funds are paid as quickly as possible to you. You should retain all records and calculations in respect of your claims. Guidance on GOV.UK is being regularly updated so please review it frequently.

I’m confused by those figures linked to earlier.
We know a 13 year old boy died, it was widely reported, but it says no deaths under 14?

I was really holding hope we could go to haven in July but now it looks like we definitely won’t 😩

@sidsgranny. Many many thanks for that information

Chris
We know a 13 year old boy died, it was widely reported, but it says no deaths under 14?
No. It was reported that the family said it was Covid but the hospital later confirmed it was not.

@LooQoo but we will need those staff to come back soon as we fill the spaces so if we can furlough them until June then we will?

It will just be that we need to stagger the staff coming back in stages as we won’t be full with children straight away it will take a bit of time

The poor lad died from a cardiac arrest

But tested positive for covid.

@KaptenKrusty

It’s likely that a lot of people will be made redundant after furlough ends, if people aren’t going to work then they won’t need childcare. I don’t think that this is a 3 month holiday followed by a return to normal.

I thought the original time period for furlough was till end of June anyway? That's what my company did on 1st April

Regarding the 13 year old - there’s a difference between died of and died with. There was the same discussion surrounding the death of a baby. Unfortunately babies and children die normally and these deaths will still be happening. A boy I went to school with died unexpectedly of a stroke in his early teens.

Regarding furlough, I think it will need to be extended even when restrictions are eased for particular industries. If they ban gatherings of a certain size or length of time for leisure purposes they’re effectively banning things like pubs, restaurants, cinemas etc. If these remain closed at the governments instruction they have to take some responsibility for them.