Bug in the Online Portal for CoronaVirus Job Retention scheme application for Employers

quiver09

There appears to be an error in the Online portal. When making the CoronaVirus Job Retention scheme application, I get “You are not eligible to make a claim. The employee is registered for PAYE Online but our records show that on 19 March 2020 there were no employees on the payroll. Furloughed employees must have been on the Employer PAYE payroll on 19 March 2020 to be eligible for this scheme".

We have been using the RTI Online system for the past 12 years and have a valid Employer PAYE reference and Accounts Office reference and have full access to the Annual statements and payment record via the HMRC Gateway Online system . The RTI system allowed us to create FPS (Full Payment Submission) for each employee for the period 6th March to 5th April( Month 12). This was completed, successfully submitted and confirmed by HMRC on the 7th April. We could have not done it any earlier as the FPS return can only be submitted after the 6th of the following month. So while we had employees on the payroll as of 19th March, but are unable to make a claim as the system appears to check for the last FPS submission date which in our case was the 7th April, and so rejects the claim, even though it covers the period 6th March to 5th April. 

I am sure this affects many other employers. I doubt if this scenario was ever tested.

HopeAndDriftWood

I didn't think you were eligible if the submission took place after 19th March - I thought it had to have happened before then. That appears to be supported by the Government's advice from Friday; 
Employees that were employed as of 28 February 2020 and on payroll (i.e. notified to HMRC on an RTI submission on or before 28 February)
From what you've said, your RTI submission covered the 19th March but took place on the 7th April, so I don't think you qualify... although I'm not an expert on this at all! 

sliphi

quiver09 said:

There appears to be an error in the Online portal. When making the CoronaVirus Job Retention scheme application, I get “You are not eligible to make a claim. The employee is registered for PAYE Online but our records show that on 19 March 2020 there were no employees on the payroll. Furloughed employees must have been on the Employer PAYE payroll on 19 March 2020 to be eligible for this scheme".

We have been using the RTI Online system for the past 12 years and have a valid Employer PAYE reference and Accounts Office reference and have full access to the Annual statements and payment record via the HMRC Gateway Online system . The RTI system allowed us to create FPS (Full Payment Submission) for each employee for the period 6th March to 5th April( Month 12). This was completed, successfully submitted and confirmed by HMRC on the 7th April. We could have not done it any earlier as the FPS return can only be submitted after the 6th of the following month. So while we had employees on the payroll as of 19th March, but are unable to make a claim as the system appears to check for the last FPS submission date which in our case was the 7th April, and so rejects the claim, even though it covers the period 6th March to 5th April. 

I am sure this affects many other employers. I doubt if this scenario was ever tested.

I think there is a mistake in your filing, somewhere.

HMRC didn't introduce RTI for PAYE until 2012 - 8 years, and that was the start of the phase in programme.
Most employers didn't start using it until 2013

But even if you were using it for the last 7 years, you'll need to contact HMRC as they don't appear to have any record of that.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

And Real Time Information reports are meant to be filed on or before employees are paid, no idea why you think you have to wait and file late.

quiver09

Thanks for the feedback. We did have FPS submissions made on the 7th March for the period 6th Feb to 5th March( Month 11). HMRC have confirmed this, but the CoronaVirus Job Retention scheme application seems to validate against the latest FPS return date and is not able to determine if there was a previous FPS submission that covers the legibility period of 28 February 2020 to 19th March 2020. HMRC have now acknowledged that that it should be validating against the period covered by the FPS submission and not the actual date that the FPS was submitted.. Lets hope the fix it soon.

bensim90

quiver09 said:

Thanks for the feedback. We did have FPS submissions made on the 7th March for the period 6th Feb to 5th March( Month 11). HMRC have confirmed this, but the CoronaVirus Job Retention scheme application seems to validate against the latest FPS return date and is not able to determine if there was a previous FPS submission that covers the legibility period of 28 February 2020 to 19th March 2020. HMRC have now acknowledged that that it should be validating against the period covered by the FPS submission and not the actual date that the FPS was submitted.. Lets hope the fix it soon.

quiver09, 
Did you get anywhere with this one? I am have been having a similar issue regarding this albeit a year later. Thanks