One man limited company HGV driver going on furlough, but accountant being difficult

Smegger213

Hi all, I am a 1 man HGV driver limited company. I work for an agency at Wilko. Because it has gone very quiet at Wilko. I have been getting very little shifts. 1 or 2 days a week isn't much help to me financially. I am type 2 diabetic, so am at higher risk of getting the virus. So I have decided that I would be better off putting myself on furlough and stay at home. I instructed my accountant to apply for the government job retention scheme, with me going on furlough from 21st April. My last shift at Wilko was 20th April. I have to use my accountant because they are classed as my agent. But my accountant has said they cannot apply for the grant from the scheme until I have been on furlough for 3 weeks. Is this correct? I tried reading all the info on the gov web site about the scheme. But all I could find was the statement that any furlough period must be for a minimum of 3 weeks. I couldn't find anything that said you had to be on furlough for 3 weeks before applying for a grant. But my accountant is adamant about 3 weeks before applying for the grant. I applied for Universal Credit on 7th April. But I wont get the first payment until 13th May. I have had to end up applying for the maximum allowed advance of Universal Credit of £850. But I have to pay this advance back over 12 months by having reduced Universal Credit payments. Is it right that I have to be on furlough for 3 weeks before applying for a grant under the job retention scheme?