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02
Apr
Directors and Furlough
Can I furlough myself? There has been much debate within the accountancy profession on this matter and the simple answer is “Yes”.
So, if you have found yourself in a position where you have no work and you believe that situation will last for at least 3 weeks, please sign and retain a copy of the attached letter and furlough yourself. The letter needs to be sent from your limited company to yourself (and the other directors if you need to). We will be asking to see it if we make a claim on your behalf when we can.
Whilst furloughed you are only allowed to carry out the duties of a director. You will find a full list of what you are allowed to do here… https://companieshouse.blog.gov.uk/2019/02/21/7-duties-of-a-company-director/
These guidelines were not issued with furloughing in mind so they are open to interpretation. However, we believe that maintaining the company’s statutory and financial records are the responsibility of the directors and can therefore be kept up to date.
We also recommend that, if funds allow, you continue to pay yourself your normal salary of £719 per month. If your normal salary is different to this, please contact us and we will discuss what you should do. Apologies for the impersonal nature of this advice.
Second question…
Can I claim back 80% of my salary (normally £719 per month) from the government?
This is a question that does not need an answer now. The portal to make the claims will not be live until at least the end of April. When the portal is ready, we will ask you if you have met the conditions to make a claim and, if so, we will assist you to make one. Hopefully, by then we will have some further clarity on what “furloughing” means for directors so you will be clearer on whether you are eligible for a claim or not.
To be clear, any possible claim will only be for 80% of your salary and not include any dividends you pay yourself. Also, you can top the 80% up to the full salary per your payslip.
We hope this information gives you some clarity on the position we are taking. No doubt you will see all sorts of different opinions on social media and in the press over the coming weeks. However, as soon as we have definitive guidance from the government on what directors can or can’t do whilst furloughed, we will be able to advise further.
As ever we are here to support you in these trying times. If you need to speak to me or one of the team just say and we will give you a call.
