Increase in furlough fraud

Increase in furlough fraud

The first arrest for suspected fraudulent claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was recently reported. A man from Solihull was accused of wrongfully claiming £495,000 through the CJRS.

As we reported in July, the Government consulted on measures to deal with furlough fraud. These came into force in late July. HMRC recently reported a 43 per cent increase in the number of reports of fraudulent claims. The figure rose from 4,440 at the end of June to 6,749 by late July.

Employers are being urged to audit their claims to ensure they did not inadvertently claim more than they were entitled to. We can review your CJRS claims and check these comply with the rules.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.