Furloughed Work for free

SueP19

Yesterday I was verbally furloughed.
I work an accountants and my clients have HMRC deadlines to meet. As I stand I know I cannot complete any fee paying work but many of my clients are old and cannot complete the work themselves.

Am I allowed on a personal level to offer my services for free??
Thanks

Illusionary

The guidance is quite clear that you can't provide any services to your employer while on furlough. There's nothing in the Government guidance to prevent you from carrying out work on your own account, but I'd expect you to be contractually forbidden from carrying out any work personally for your employer's clients.

7Phil

You cannot work while on furlough for your employer or anyone connceted to it.
It will include working for any benefit-in-kind.

I wouldn't engage in any work if you are furloughed. If there are demand for your services then I would question why you are furloughed. 
I would not go there.

SueP19

7Phil said:

You cannot work while on furlough for your employer or anyone connceted to it.
It will include working for any benefit-in-kind.

I wouldn't engage in any work if you are furloughed. If there are demand for your services then I would question why you are furloughed. 
I would not go there.

I read that too about it being questionable as work is there to be done.
Yesterday my boss said if we wont get paid then legally per the institute we dont have to act.
I am worried about the people who although are clients have become friends, there is no relaxation of deadlines, you have to use an IT package to submit returns 

SueP19

Illusionary said:

The guidance is quite clear that you can't provide any services to your employer while on furlough. There's nothing in the Government guidance to prevent you from carrying out work on your own account, but I'd expect you to be contractually forbidden from carrying out any work personally for your employer's clients.

At this point if I dont help the clients they will leave and I wont have a job to go back too, contract or not
When I said about the vat returns he said oh well I cant stop you from doing them 

Illusionary

SueP19 said:

Illusionary said:

The guidance is quite clear that you can't provide any services to your employer while on furlough. There's nothing in the Government guidance to prevent you from carrying out work on your own account, but I'd expect you to be contractually forbidden from carrying out any work personally for your employer's clients.

At this point if I dont help the clients they will leave and I wont have a job to go back too, contract or not
When I said about the vat returns he said oh well I cant stop you from doing them 

From what you're saying, it doesn't sound appropriate for you to be placed on furlough. Presumably these clients should be paying fees in return for the return preparation work.

Also, even if doing pro bono work you place yourself at significant personal risk if you carry out work on your own account. Are you a member of one of the professional institutes? If so and you're determined to go down this route, I'd strongly suggest taking advice from them before doing so.

SueP19

From what you're saying, it doesn't sound appropriate for you to be placed on furlough. Presumably these clients should be paying fees in return for the return preparation work.

Also, even if doing pro bono work you place yourself at significant personal risk if you carry out work on your own account. Are you a member of one of the professional institutes? If so and you're determined to go down this route, I'd strongly suggest taking advice from them before doing so.

In the main I just want to help these people, they will be fined 

Thank you for the tip re professional body, you are right I would not be covered by professional indemnity 

Jeremy535897

Why don't you speak to LITRG?
https://www.litrg.org.uk/

Illusionary

SueP19 said:

From what you're saying, it doesn't sound appropriate for you to be placed on furlough. Presumably these clients should be paying fees in return for the return preparation work.

Also, even if doing pro bono work you place yourself at significant personal risk if you carry out work on your own account. Are you a member of one of the professional institutes? If so and you're determined to go down this route, I'd strongly suggest taking advice from them before doing so.

In the main I just want to help these people, they will be fined 

Thank you for the tip re professional body, you are right I would not be covered by professional indemnity 

If your firm has an engagement to prepare the returns, I would expect them to make good late filing penalties arising from failure to complete the preparation work if the clients have provided the necessary information in good time. There may also be grounds for a 'reasonable excuse' appeal.