Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses HMRC has taken action against for not passing on Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme support to employees.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is a grant paid to employers so they can pay employees while they are furloughed.

HMRC have over 6,000 employers under investigation, for a range of reasons, including not paying employees, making inflated claims, or making claims even though employees are still working. Within a single case there is often a number of reasons why HMRC are taking action.

However, apart from the enforcement of National Minimum Wage, HMRC do not have a role in regulating the relationship between employers and employees. If the CJRS grant has not been passed on to employees, HMRC have no legal authority to enforce payment but take action to recover the grant for which the employer is not eligible.

Employees can contact ACAS if they have concerns that they have not been able to resolve with their employer. Since February, HMRC have been publishing details of employers who have claimed a CJRS grant and have been informing employees of that claim via their personal tax account.

Employees who have concerns that they have been furloughed but have not been paid (or have been asked to work) can contact HMRC. Details can be found on GOV.UK.