How to complete the furlough grant claim on HMRC's portal
This guide will take you step-by-step through completing the claim on the HMRC portal.
Before starting, please ensure that you have the following...
- You have an HMRC online business account (there is a separate guide here on how to set this up)
- You have access to PAYE for employers in your HMRC online business account (there is a separate guide here on how to set this up)
- You have the information ready to support your claim, there is an HMRC guide here
1. Log in to your business tax account, there is link copied below
Log in to your business tax account via HMRC Online Services.
You can obtain detailed instructions on how to log in here.
1.1. Go to "Activate or access online services"
1.2. Go to "PAYE for Agents" and select "Access service"
1.3. Search for the required client
1.4. Select "Access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme"
1.5. Forward to step 5
2. Select the link "Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (opens in a new tab or window)"
3. On page that opens select the link "claim for wages online"
4. On the next page scroll about 2/3 of the way down and select "Claim now"
5. You will now be taken to the first claim window, read the conditions and select "Accept and continue"
6. On the screen "Has the employer ‘furloughed’ any employees because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?" read the text and select "Continue" to continue the claim
7. On the screen "Will the full amount from this claim be paid to the furloughed employees?" read the text and select "Continue" to continue the claim
8. On the screen "Does the employer submit a Company Tax Return?" read the text and select "Continue" to continue the claim for a corporate entity
A corporate entity is a limited company, your business name would end with either "Ltd" or "Limited."
If you are not a corporate entity then you should select "No".
9. On the screen "Enter the employer’s Corporation Tax Unique Taxpayer Reference" read the text and enter the tax reference number. Then select "Continue" to continue the claim
If you are not a corporate entity you will be asked to enter the personal or partnership Unique Taxpayer Reference.
10. On the screen "What is the name of the employer?" read the text and enter the employer name. Then select "Continue" to continue the claim
11. On the screen "In this section you will need to tell us about the claim period" read the text and select "Continue" to continue the claim
12. On the screen "Tell us about the claim period" enter the required dates and select "Continue" to continue the claim
13. On the screen "Confirm the claim period" check the dates and select "Continue" to continue the claim
14. On the screen "How many employees have been furloughed in the period you are claiming for?" enter the number of staff and select "Continue" to continue the claim
15. On the screen "Confirm the number of furloughed employees" check the number of staff and select "Continue" to continue the claim
16. On the screen "Enter the total claim amounts" enter the required information and select "Continue" to continue the claim
17. On the screen "Check the total claim amounts" check the required information and select "Continue" to continue the claim
18. On the screen "Employee details" enter the required information and select "Continue" to continue the claim
The payroll number of the employee is optional.
You will need to enter the above information for each individual employee, in this example there was only one employee.
19. On the screen "Check this employee’s details" check the required information and select "Continue" to continue the claim
20. On the screen "X Employee added" check the required information and select "Continue" to continue the claim
21. On the screen "What type of bank account should we pay the claim into?" read the text and select the type of bank account. Then select "Continue" to continue the claim
22. On the screen "Employer’s bank or building society account details" enter the required information and select "Continue" to continue the claim
23. On the screen "Find the address associated with the employer’s bank account" enter the required information and select "Find address" to continue the claim
There has been some confusion about whether this should be the employer’s address or the address of the bank. HSA & Co understands that the address the employer’s bank statements are sent to should be provided.
24. On the screen "Confirm the address associated with the employer’s bank account" check the required information and select "Confirm address" to continue the claim
25. On the screen "Who should we contact about this claim?" enter the required information and select "Confirm address" to continue the claim
If you are a client completing your own claim you should not enter HSA & Co's details as we will not be able to assist HMRC with any queries.
Please enter your own name and the company phone number.
26. On the screen "Review your answers?" check all of the answers provided
27. Save a pdf version of the "Review your answers" page
This is a very important step as HMRC will not provide you with a summary of your entries, this is the only opportunity that you will have to retain a copy of what you submitted.
Save the pdf copy in the clients folder where the rest of the furlough claim documents are retained. Ensure that you rename the start of the file with "YYMMDD - [file name as created by HMRC]"
28. Read the "Declaration" and select "Confirm and submit" to complete the claim
29. You are taken to a claim submitted screen. Save a pdf copy of the "Claim submitted" page
This is a very important step as HMRC will not provide you with a receipt, this is the only opportunity that you will have to retain a copy to prove that your submission was made.
Save the pdf copy in the clients folder where the rest of the furlough claim documents are retained. Ensure that you rename the start of the file with "YYMMDD - [file name as created by HMRC]"
30. The claim is now completed and you can sign out
You can continue with the next clients claim.