Total value of claims made to Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme exceeds £40 billion

Monthly HMRC statistics also show that the value of claims for the second Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant has increased to just under £6 billion

Claims worth more than £40 billion have been made to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), according to new HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures.

In updated monthly management information data published today for the CJRS, HMRC reports that the total value of claims made to the end of Sunday 18 October 2020 increased by just over £2 billion, from £39.3 billion at 20 September to £41.4 billion at 18 October. Meanwhile, the number of jobs furloughed and employers furloughing has remained unchanged at 9.2 million and 1.2 million respectively.

In relation to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), HMRC says 2.3 million claims had been made for the second grant as at 18 October 2020, with a total value of £5.9 billion.

In addition, experimental statistics released today relating to the SEISS show that between 17 August and 30 September 2020, 2.3 million claims for a second SEISS grant were made from a total potentially eligible population of 3.4 million, but that 1.6 million did not meet the SEISS criteria for one or more of the following reasons -

• 1.4 million (87 per cent) had trading profits less than non-trading profits (such as income from employment or investment income);
• 0.5 million (33 per cent) had trading profits of zero or made a loss; and
• 0.2 million (11 per cent) had trading profits of more than £50,000.

For more information, see HMRC coronavirus (COVID-19) statistics from gov.uk