Are you worried about the possible implications of furlough fraud? What are the penalties, how can you avoid it, and will you still have to pay HMRC if you made a genuine error in your calculations?
What Constitutes Furlough Fraud?
The Government has explained that the following actions amount to an overclaimed furlough grant, and thus could lead to furlough fraud:
- any amount the employer was not entitled to receive
- any amount the employer is no longer entitled to receive after a change in circumstances – eg one of your employees who is no longer employed by you is still having their wages claimed for under the Job Retention Scheme.
How Long Do You Have To Repay Overpayments?
Although HMRC’s concern is to deal with non-compliance with the Scheme, they will not be looking to investigate innocent errors. However, you will not be charged a penalty if you did not know of the overpayment at the time it was received, or at the time that the circumstances changed, and if it is repaid within the following time period:
- 12 months from when their accounting period ends to rectify errors
- until 31 January 2022 for sole traders/partners
While HMRC are allowing businesses to rectify genuine errors, the burden to report errors so does fall on the business owner, otherwise the following penalties may apply;
- income tax charge – full overclaimed amounts may be recovered if HMRC make a tax assessment for the amount overclaimed, of which payment of the assessed amount will be due 30 days after the assessment (otherwise interest will be charged on the tax from day 31)
- company officers can be made personally liable in the cases of insolvency
- 100% penalty for failing to notify HMRC, within the below notification period
- details of employers that deliberately overclaim may be published
- partners will be jointly and severally liable for any overclaimed grants repayable
If you repay the overclaimed grant, this will prevent any potential tax liabilities. Notification of any overclaimed furlough grant payments need to be made within any of the following notification periods:
- 90 days after receiving the overclaimed payment
- 90 days after the day circumstances changed
- by 20 October 2020
The Government has emphasised that any overclaimed grant payments must be repaid and, as already mentioned, you can repay it to HMRC in your next furlough claim. You should notify HMRC of the amount that has been overclaimed as an additional step to making a new furlough claim and any new grant payments made to you will reflect any deductions made due to previous overclaimed payments. You should keep records of this for six years.
The furlough scheme is one example of the complexities of completing your own payroll, and there will have been many business owners who have innocently made errors while getting to grips with it. Call MJB Avanti to discuss your payroll needs, for a compliant, streamlined, no fuss payroll solution (01473 558866)
Source: Croner Taxwise