NOTE: THIS WILL NO LONGER BE PAID IN FEBRUARY, DUE TO THE EXTENSION OF THE JRS.
The Job Retention Bonus provides additional support to employers who keep on their furloughed employees in employment up to 31 January 2021.
What is the Job Retention Bonus?
The Job Retention Bonus is a one-off payment to employers of £1,000 for every employee who they previously claimed for under the scheme, and who remains continuously employed through to 31 January 2021. Eligible employees must earn at least £520 a month on average between 1 November 2020 and 31 January 2021.
When can I claim?
Employers will be able to claim the Job Retention Bonus after they have filed PAYE for January and payments will be made to employers from February 2021. More detail about this process will be published in guidance by the end of September 2020.
Am I eligible to claim?
An employer will be able to claim the Job Retention Bonus for any employees that were eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and they have claimed a grant for. Where a claim for an employee was incorrectly made, a Job Retention Bonus will not be payable.
Employers should ensure that they have:
- Complied with their obligations to pay and file PAYE accurately and on time under the Real Time Information (RTI) reporting system for all employees (We are doing that for you monthly when we run your payroll)
- Maintained enrollment for PAYE online
- A UK bank account
Which of my employees can I claim for?
Employers will be able to claim for employees (including directors) who:
- Were furloughed and had a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme claim submitted for them that meets all relevant eligibility criteria for the scheme
- Have been continuously employed by the relevant employer from the time of the employer’s most recent claim for that employee until at least 31 January 2021
- Have been paid an average of at least £520 a month between 1 November 2020 and 31 January 2021 (a total of at least £1,560 across the 3 months). The employee does not have to be paid £520 in each month, but must have received some earnings in each of the three calendar months that have been paid and reported to HMRC via RTI
- Have up-to-date RTI records for the period to the end of January
- Are not serving a contractual or statutory notice period, that started before 1 February 2021, for the employer making a claim