Furlough Director of own company and working as self-employed

eRHW908

As a single person service company owner/director and running a minimum PAYE scheme with dividends, if I furlough myself for the PAYE part, am I able to undertake the same work under my own name as self employed, rather than putting it through the Company? 
The reason I ask, is that there may be a few dribs and drabs of work coming through and I wouldn't want to upset the client, by not being able to do it.
There doesn't seem to be any restrictions in working for another employer whilst furloughed, but no advice on working on a self employed basis during the period.
Thanks

Hermann

From what I've seen discussed there are varying opinions on this.

Initially I'd ask the question if your position was redundant due to Covid19?  You should only use the JRS to furlough if the position is otherwise redundant.

If there is still work to do is the role genuinely redundant?

Perhaps a better work around a reduction in work would be to furlough for three weeks then return for however long required to do the work available then furlough again for another three weeks, providing the work can be timed in that way.

Jeremy535897

I think it is dangerous. I know Martin Lewis suggested it might work, but I think that was before the Treasury Directive was published. I think the only way to have a chance of claiming is to do nothing while furloughed, and adopt Hermann's advice on doing work for clients (and anything else that needs doing) when not on furlough. I say this because of paragraph 2.5 of the Treasury Directive:
"2.5 No CJRS claim may be made in respect of an employee if it is abusive or is otherwise contrary to the exceptional purpose of CJRS."
The CJRS requires that furloughed workers do no work for the company, although there is some allowance for statutory and administrative duties where directors are concerned. If you could do work on your own account for the company's customers, just as you would do normally, that seems to me to fall foul of this provision.

unforeseen

I don't think you can take on work with people/businesses who are existing, and possibly previous, customers of your limited company 

eRHW908

Thanks everyone. I'm tending to agree it's not in the spirit of CJRS. The danger is that my client (who makes up 95% of my business) finds someone who will take on the work and who then gets their foot in the door.