The chief executive of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Jim Harra, has announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for furloughed workers is due to open on April 20, 2020, but the National Federation of Builders is warning against further delay.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was announced on March 20, and is due to back date payments to the beginning of March, but has not yet opened for applications, despite the fact that many companies have been furloughing staff for weeks already.
Jim told MPs on the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee that he was confident the scheme would be able to handle the anticipated surge in applications when it opens on April 20. He also added that he expected the scheme to make “payments later this month, before April 30”.
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, welcomes the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, as it will “undoubtedly protect jobs”, but feels that the HMRC must meet its commitment of making payments by April 30. He said: “Cash-flow in the construction industry is already at crisis point, and many companies will not have the cash to pay staff for another month, without access to the government’s furlough payments.”
