COVID-19 Employee Retention Scheme Public Funds?

[ash210]

Hi everyone,

If someone can shed some light that would be very helpful, been trying to find this information but couldn't, that maybe because its not clear from the Govt yet?
If a person on dependent spouse visa gets the ''Furlough'' employee retention benefit which is 80% of their PAYE, recently announced by HMRC, will he be committing benefit fraud? as they are public funds I guess and if in case he does that will his future visa applications will be affected due to the money he has taken from HMRC ?

Regards

[seagul]

It won't be considered as public fund rather its a grant by the UK govt to UK employers who keep employed their worker without laying them off.

[ash210]

Thanks Seagul

[leon2019]

If you are furloughed, you will be paid 80% of your contracted hours by your employer directly into your account as you would get your wages paid under normal circumstances. You will still be paying tax, NI and pension deductions.

I am under the same situation but I chose to stay at work as I was offered if i want to be furloughed or stay at work. all the best. stay safe

[trevoronitselec]

I am too looking for the answer for this and found this

http://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/Documents ... tsheet.pdf

Bottom part page 7

5 Assistance for people who lose employment
The Government has announced a series of measures to help people who have are unable to work due to contracting coronavirus or having to self-isolate, or who have lost their employment or closed a business due to coronavirus.
The following assistance can be claimed by a person who has no recourse to public funds (NRPF) when they meet the relevant requirements because none are considered to be ‘public funds’ for immigration purposes:
 Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
 Contributory-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
 Wages paid through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (‘furloughed workers’)
 Assistance for businesses and people who are self-employed, as outlined in this government guidance
 Benefits that are listed here (under ‘work related benefits’)
The following assistance cannot be claimed by a person who has no recourse to public
funds (NRPF) because they are public funds for immigration purposes:
 Universal Credit
 Benefits on this list