Employers who have furloughed workers can now start their applications to reclaim cash from the government.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which went live on Monday morning [April 20], contains full details of who can claim and a calculator for contractors to work out how much they are owed.
Under the scheme, the government will cover 80% of workers’ wages, up to £2,500 a month, if they are put on leave.
Employers simply need to claim the cash grant from HMRC and should then receive the money to pay their employees within six days, enabling them to meet the April payroll.
HM Treasury officials say its online application service can handle up to 450,000 applications per hour.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also extended the furlough scheme for another month until the end of June.
