Will agency workers and people on zero hour contracts get the 80% of wages?

In general, it is my understanding that February PAYE returns will for the baseline for all employees.
As such, this is intended to be the baseline for individuals on zero hours contracts.

As regards agency staff, there appears no reason why their employer (the agency) cannot claim the grant and ensure that they are paid using February as the baseline.

The devil, of course, will be in the detail ....

Furloughed workers
If your employer cannot cover staff costs due to COVID-19, they may be able to access support to continue paying part of your wage, to avoid redundancies.

If your employer intends to access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, they will discuss with you becoming classified as a furloughed worker. This would mean that you are kept on your employer’s payroll, rather than being laid off.

To qualify for this scheme, you should not undertake work for them while you are furloughed. This will allow your employer to claim a grant of up to 80% of your wage for all employment costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

You will remain employed while furloughed. Your employer could choose to fund the differences between this payment and your salary, but does not have to.

If your salary is reduced as a result of these changes, you may be eligible for support through the welfare system, including Universal Credit.

We intend for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to run for at least 3 months from 1 March 2020, but will extend if necessary.

How to access the scheme

You will need to:
designate affected employees as ‘furloughed workers,’ and notify your employees of this change - changing the status of employees remains subject to existing employment law and, depending on the employment contract, may be subject to negotiation

submit information to HMRC about the employees that have been furloughed and their earnings through a new online portal (HMRC will set out further details on the information required)

HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. HMRC are working urgently to set up a system for reimbursement. Existing systems are not set up to facilitate payments to employers.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-busines...

Thanks,that is my understanding,but the other day when my wife phoned her agency to ask about this she was told that agency workers were not covered. only those who have a contract.

There will no doubt be significant variation on the interpretation of this.

One of the key points to be resolved is employers national insurance contribution, which is why I highlighted the reference to all employment costs.

Another will be holiday pay accrual.

Good agencies will perform the admin and ensure that those who have been furloughed receive payment.
Equally, good employers will inform the agency to put them on furlough.

Between them, they can sort out arrangements regarding mark up.
The sensible thing would be for the agency not to pass on any cost to the employer, simply processing the employee at zero net cost to them.

MILLIONS of the so called self employed, ltd company,umberella etc arnt really self employed in the true sense just a wheeze to stop companies paying NI,hols,sick pay etc
if they have to produce paperwork,invoices, etc theres gone to be beaming light shone on the murky world of self employed
what do you get a handout based on ,just the bit you pay tax on after your accountant has performed open wallet suregery on. on paper lots of these workers on 30,40.50 grand are on minimum wage the bit they pay the tax on the rest is spun away as trave,expenses,digs,meals ,etc,etc
can see some accountants fleeing the coop house before all this comes in to the public domzin

The major question is partially furloughed employees, some workers will be put on short hours, they will then end up with less wages than the furloughed employees, the whole workforce should be able to work, spread the load and equally get the 80% topped up.

Those who are picked to work within a workplace will be resentful of those on, what amounts to paid leave.

It's a glaring error.

There is no perfect solution, and I was amazed that the government moved as quickly as they did.
Regardless of how the rapidly produced scheme was put together, you are guaranteed to have moans and groans.

I've been furloughed, the first thing I said was that I'll go in voluntary because I see how this will go and the imbalance in it, having said that, the one advantage the guys picked to work have is that afterwards their jobs are going to be safer than the guys furloughed because business is not going to go back to normal.

It's going to be tough all round for a long time.