Furlough Fraud: Genuine Mistake Or Cheating The System?

As the furlough scheme comes to an end, many employers will be at risk of falling foul of its stringent and complex rules and potentially facing penalties for 'furlough fraud', but with the 20 October amnesty introduced by HMRC, companies that have made genuine mistakes have a chance to rectify them without being penalised. Walker Morris' Gwendoline Davies, Head of Commercial Dispute Resolution, and Andrew Northage, Partner in the Regulatory & Compliance team, share the facts businesses need to know ahead of the deadline.

The furlough scheme - designed to support businesses who are unable to pay the salaries of their full workforce during the coronavirus pandemic - is set to come to an end this month and thousands of businesses have come under investigation by HMRC for falsely or mistakenly claiming whilst employees have been working as normal, part-time, or 'volunteering' their time.