On 19 November 2020, the Government amended its guidance to give examples of what is meant by a ‘reasonable excuse’, for submitting furlough claims past the deadline.
Claims need submitting within two weeks of the end of the previous calendar month unless there is a “reasonable excuse for failing to make a claim in time”. The deadlines in which the claims must be submitted by for the following dates are below:
- November 2020 – 14 December 2020
- December 2020 – 14 January 2021
- January 2021 – 15 February 2021
- February 2021 – 15 March 2021
- March 2021 – 14 April 2021
Guidance, by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), states that they ‘may’ accept the following examples as reasonable excuses for not claiming in time:
- A partner or close relative passed away shortly before the claim deadline
- An unexpected stay in the hospital
- A life-threatening, or severe illness, including coronavirus-related sickness prevented you from claiming in time, and no one could do so for you
- Spending a period in self-isolation prevented you from claiming in time, and no one could do so for you
- The computer or software you use failed just before or while you were preparing the claim
- HMRC’s online service encountered issues
- Fire, flood or theft
- Unpredictable postal-related delays
- A disability-related issue that caused delays
- An HMRC error
It is vital to seek specialist help to ensure you meet all of your furlough-related obligations. For more information or advice, please contact our experts today.
