Charities are eligible for the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and many have already embraced the opportunity – big charities such as Oxfam and Age UK, for example, have each furloughed two-thirds of all staff.
The HMRC portal is now open for applications to the scheme, which currently covers 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020. This may help reduce pressure on cashflow and provides a means of retaining staff such as event fundraisers and retail staff, who may currently have seen their work placed on hold.
The government estimates that all payments covering 80% of salary up to £2500 per month will be made within six working days. To apply, you will need a Government Gateway ID and password and an active PAYE enrolment, although not having these is not a barrier. You can apply for this before making the furlough application if needed.