Hi, wondered if this has happened to anyone else and if so how to fix other than a painful wait on the helpline....
I am an accountant and have been putting through various clients claims since day 1 and I am pretty sure I know what I'm doing.
The affected claim for July is for 3 employees - 2 furloughed all month and 1 flexifurloughed (I double checked the amount of the flexi person on HMRCs calculator) and totals £2814.
Last month 4 employees were on furlough, but as all worked between 4 and 9 days (still complying with the 3 week minimum furlough rule) the claim was £2788 ie less.
The claim won't proceed as HMRC puts up a screen saying I'm claiming too much. I tried webchat - she agreed the amount shouldn't be limited as long as it's less staff (it is as 3 < 4) but can't help me further.
I had a different one person client for whom I sucessfully claimed more this month as flexifurlough worked out more beneficial for them (they lost a whole week at the end of June for working 1 day due to the 3 week rule) so there must be something other than the fact it's simply more?
Any one else had this problem? Any ideas appreciated
UPDATE tried again 2 days later and it went through this time with no changes to the figures. Gremlins?
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Replies (19)
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I've only "spoken" to someone on webchat - it was after 4pm so phone line closed. I will try tomorrow but just dread the long wait to (probably) be told someone will call me back in a within a week.......
Phone as early as you can. I've sometimes found I didn't have to wait.
You may find the next person you speak to is much more clued up and a lot more helpful.
The 3 employees concerned have all been included on previous claims to 30 June and no typos on the NI numbers?
Yes, all already claimed for, but that's not it as I didn't even get to the page where you enter the NI no.s
Have you already submitted the RTI for July? Presumably the totals submitted are more than the amount being claimed? (Forgive me if I'm asking the obvious)
I thought RTI whilst watching a youtube item.
You got there first.
The trouble really is that we have no idea of HMRC automatic logic checks, and likely that HMRC on phone and webchats probably similarly in the dark.
Hi, thanks for reply but it's not that either - RTI filed exceeds £4000 gross - furlough claim worls out at about 67% so well below the 80% allowed.
So am I right in thinking the block comes up after entering the the furlough claim total?
I really hope it is something daft as I have my first Flexi to claim in the next few days.
Yes, just after entering the total (which is also after entering no of employees claiming for). Yours will probably be OK - all the other ones I did went fine.
Have you checked your calculations using HMRC's calculator? They changed the way the employer NI claim is calculated and I am wondering whether it's this entry rather than the gross pay that is tripping some limit? As jcace said it would be interesting to try some different permutations to see if the message goes away e.g. different gross, no NI or something.
What about Employer pension contributions.... they haven't ended up higher than 3% of gross, have they?
Have you tried the CJRS helpline? If you try fairly early in the morning you should get through to one of them rather than being put into the overflow that goes through to the general helpline who can't help. 0800 024 1222
I had a few odd cases early on that wouldn't go through but they were able to do the claim over the phone.
Good luck!
I was mega busy yesterday ferrying my kids around so only just got back to retrying and it's gone through!
No idea what's different as I used the same figures, but at least client will be happy now. I'm blaming gremlins.
Just had the same experience. My problem was not putting the end date in for the claim - hit the wrong button so it defaulted without me realising - so I had 1 July to 1 July!!
Check the dates.
