Present criteria for claiming via the furlough scheme

The detailed Furlough Scheme rules were last updated 4 February 2021.

People who are unable to work can receive up to 80% of their wages. This payment is subject to a monthly maximum amount of £2,500 per employee (for hours not worked). Employers have the discretion to top-up the payments if they so wish.

To use the extended scheme – to 30 April 2021 – the steps that are required are:

1. Check if you can claim
2. Check which employees you can put on furlough
3. Steps to take before calculating your claim
4. Calculate how much you should claim
5. Claim for your employees’ wages online
6. Report a payment in PAYE real time information (RTI)

To be eligible to claim, employees must have been registered on their employers PAYE payroll by 23:59 on 30 October 2020.  The employer must have made a PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) submission to HMRC between 20 March 2020 and 30 October 2020, notifying a payment of earnings for that employee.

Employees employed as of 23 September 2020 and on payroll, who were made redundant or stopped working for the employer afterwards can also qualify for the scheme if they are re-employed and placed on furlough.

Employers must also have a UK, Isle of Man or Channel Island bank account.