MY CIPP
Policy team update On your behalf
The CIPP’s policy and research teamprovides an update on developments
Coronavirus The CIPP’s policy and research team regularly post topical questions on the CIPP’s News Online pages in the form of quick polls, in order to gain an insight into the views of payroll professionals on the issues that are impacting them most at any given time. It would be strange therefore in current circumstances to omit reference to the outbreak of COVID-19. So, unsurprisingly, several of our quick polls have asked questions regarding the effect on payroll departments in the UK of measures implemented by the government to help businesses and individuals through the outbreak. One of the questions posed asked: “Which of the COVID-19 measures is currently challenging you the most?” This prompted more than 3,000 responses in a two-week period, thereby clearly demonstrating how heavily the payroll profession has been affected by the coronavirus crisis. The results for this quick poll are as follows: ● Furlough: 40% ● Self-employed income support scheme: 24% ● Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS): 20%
through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme easy to do?” The responses are as follows: ● Yes, as an employer: 41% ● Yes, as an agent: 27% ● No, as an employer: 20% ● No, as an agent: 12%. The near-continual publication of improved employer (and employee) guidance on GOV.UK relating to the CJRS has dominated much of the policy and research team’s work over the past six weeks, as every iteration of guidance brought numerous new questions and challenges which hadn’t previously been considered. The team, along with other key stakeholders, has been in almost constant contact with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in a bid to present the questions raised by members in order to obtain answers, and to support the profession through these unprecedented times. The team has also produced a CJRS FAQs (frequently asked questions) page and an early webcast on the topic. The increased demand has not only impacted the policy and research team but has also permeated through to many other areas of the CIPP’s business, with particular effect on the Advisory team. A glance at the statistics for March and April and comparison with 2019 reveals the extent of how busy the Advisory Service team has been. This year they handled 1,403 queries in March and, at the time of writing (27 April 2020), a staggering
1,789 in April. The figures in the same month last year (2019) were 1,032 in March and 776 in April. The CIPP has continued to serve its membership, despite the coronavirus outbreak, and will continue to do so. Please keep submitting your questions and experiences. IR35 reforms Though the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis has included creation of a range of new measures to help support businesses through the outbreak, there has been an impact on other pre-existing policies. A key example of this relates to the extension of the off-payroll working reforms to the private and third sectors which were originally scheduled to be introduced in April 2020 but are postponed due to the crisis, and will now take effect from 6 April 2021. The CIPP, as a member of the IR35 forums, was involved in a short one-off meeting which provided stakeholders with an update on the work of the team. The clauses have been temporarily removed from the current Finance Bill but will be brought back ahead of the new implementation date of the reforms in April 2021. There was also a brief question and answer session in relation to coronavirus. Following the retirement of Rowena Fletcher, the IR35 forum has a new HMRC chair. We wish Rowena a long and happy retirement, and welcome Christopher Simon who joins Samantha Hurley of APSCO as co-chairs of the forum. The House of Lords economic affairs finance bill sub-committee’s report, Off-
● Statutory sick pay: 9% ● Other measures: 5% ● Pay attachments: 2%.
Following the launch of the CJRS reclaim portal opening we asked: “Have you found submitting a claim
...every iteration of guidance brought numerous new questions and challenges which hadn’t previously been considered
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | June 2020 | Issue 61 8
*please see summary at cippmembership.org.uk for details.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker