Covid-19 Fraud Defence Solicitors | Furlough Fraud

If you or your business is under investigation or have recently been charged with HMRC fraud in relation to the relief offered by the Government (such as the furlough scheme) during the COVID 19 pandemic, it is vital that you secure expert legal representation as early as possible.

If HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) suspect that you or your business has defrauded the Government’s Job Retention and Furlough Scheme, an in-depth investigation will take place, which may result in a prosecution and custodial (prison) sentence. To speak with one of our specialist fraud defence lawyers, and to understand how we can assist, please call us on 0330 818 9847 or complete our Contact Form.

Furlough Fraud

As a result of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the Government introduced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme in order to support UK businesses, workers and the economy during the lockdown. The Furlough Scheme enabled employers to claim up to 80% of workers salaries from the Government in the event the business did not require the worker due to a temporary closure of the business or a reduction in trade.

The scheme has evolved, and the rules have been amended since it was initially implemented, which could result in some employers potentially facing investigation or prosecution for claiming funds from HMRC which they should not have, which is commonly known now as Furlough Fraud.

There are several ways in which a business or business owner could face prosecution for furlough scheme fraud however, the more common circumstances in which HMRC may take enforcement action include:

• Not paying employees even though the business has received the necessary funds from HMRC;
• Employers entering into transactions with the worker which reduces the wages below the amount claimed;
• Overclaiming from HMRC;
• Requiring employees to undertake work when they are receiving furlough pay from HMRC;
• Claiming for workers that are no longer employees of the business.

Paying Privately for Legal Representation

We have been covering only private client criminal cases for many years and the benefits to our clients are clear. Our clients receive a much higher level of legal expertise and attention, because they are funding their cases privately. This enables us to dedicate more time in preparing the case, compared with firms that may also offer legal aid. Legal aid lawyers (Duty Solicitors) are often over-worked and are covering more cases than they should, as the nature of their work is not profitable, and this can result in your case not receiving the time and attention it deserves.

Our private client solicitors are specialists in their field, have significant experience and will have dealt with other cases like yours in the past and will know the best strategies to achieve a not guilty verdict.

Advantages of Paying Privately for a Specialist Criminal Defence Lawyer

1. Expertise: There are a very limited number of law firms throughout the country that only accept criminal fraud cases on a private fee-paying basis, these lawyers will usually only accept such cases because they possess superior legal knowledge and expertise.
2. Communication: Paying for legal representation privately will usually result in better and more frequent communication with your Solicitor, Barrister and Legal Team. Lawyers defending fraud cases paid privately will usually respond to e-mails and phone calls quickly.
3. Preparation: The amount of time a lawyer spends preparing a case and considering the evidence will have an impact upon the result. Paying privately will ensure that the lawyer can spend enough time on case preparation, which will have a positive impact on the overall outcome of the case. We prepare thoroughly for each case.
4. Service: Clients that instruct lawyers via private funds will receive a substantially better service than those using legal aid.   
5. Quality: The overall quality of legal representation from private client solicitors is significantly superior.
6. Consistency: We provide all our clients with consistency and continuity, the lawyer dealing with your case will be the same person from start to finish.