NAJ urges members to check for furlough claim inaccuracies with Better Business Support Service
08 Oct 2020
The National Association of Jewellers is urging its members to check claims for the government furlough scheme through the Better Business free tax advice support service, following a growing number of businesses receiving a letter from HMRC.
The warning from HMRC highlighted potential errors in applications, and also reminded businesses that claims must be 100% accurate before the cut-off date to avoid the risk of fines or even prosecution.
Businesses that have utilised the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme have until the 20th October to submit self-declarations. And, according to Quest, provider of the Better Business Service, common errors in applications include claiming for an employee that was not eligible for the scheme and wrong calculations or reference figures when determining furlough pay.
View Better Business Support Service
Steve Charles, Head of Business Partnerships at Quest said,
“It’s important NAJ members retain information on calculations and any correspondence with employees regarding the furlough scheme, and ultimately check that the claim(s) that has been put forward is correct.”
“For many in the jewellery industry, we’ve heard how this scheme has been pivotal for businesses to continue operating, so if members are unsure it’s always best to enlist the support of a professional or access us through the Better Business Support Service Tax hotline we provide to NAJ Members.”
The 'members only' Better Business Support Service
While the advice and guidance for members to check their claims is expected to be popular, the team at Quest can also check claims made, but this is a chargeable service.
The Better Business Tax hotline is open during normal office hours and in addition to advice on Furlough scheme claims also provides advice on VAT, including land or property, as well as exemptions and more general tax advice.
Other ‘Better Business Support Service’ advice includes Health and Safety, Human Resources and Legal services, each of which uses the same hotline number. When calling the hotline number members will be required to quote their name, company and membership number, which is available from the Find a Jeweller directory.
View Find a Jeweller directory
Source: The NAJ