I hope you are all well and keeping cool during this mini heatwave we have been experiencing in UK.
I’ve just came across an article regarding remote working and that workers could face shock tax bills:
Remote workers claiming tax relief while choosing to avoid the office could face hundreds of pounds of tax repayments, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned…
After the life return back to somewhat normal after the pandemic, I have asked my employer if I could continue working from home half of the time to manage my fatigue and be able to stay physically active as much as I can. This was fine as my employer is very accommodating. I’m still managing work full-time, and I’d like to keep it that way as long as I can.
My working from home is being recorded and I do receive £6 per week towards utility costs which is £1.20 per week in tax relief. Does this little contribution come under workplace reasonable adjustments?
Now, I’m worried that the taxman will be knocking on my door demanding the tax over the period of time.
I’d like to ask any of you working from home is you are in receipt of any financial support from your employer and have you had to obtain any letter from your neurologist or GP to prove the eligibility.
MS can be such a invisible medical condition many people do not get, and the straggle MS sufferers must face when trying to get any disability benefits is heart breaking.
I know that you do not receive a lot from my employer, but every penny counts. Or maybe, I should be asking my employer not to pay anything toward my bills for peace of my mind.
What an interesting question. I think that you should ask your HR person at work to advise you on the taxable status of these payments. Maybe there’s an easy answer and maybe there isn’t, but I think your luckless HR person is the right one to start finding out!
The MS Society has got a law firm with a specialist in employment law to provide legal assistance et cetera to members. I dealt with them about 10 years ago for something and they were very very good. I got the details by ringing the MS Society helpline, and they put me in touch with somebody who works for the MS Society who got the referral to the legal advice people. It might be worth seeing if you can do the same? Have you thought about calling the tax office for advice? They really are helpful people, I thought it would’ve put a black flag on my Record or got alarm bells ringing flagging me up as a potential tax avoider when I spoke to them about some random thing, but they were fabulously helpful and I got the impression that they actually enjoyed making sure people were not paying too much tax and appreciated speaking to somebody who wasn’t ranting about their tax bill! I’d also have thought that your HR department should be really clued up on this and they should have all the answers that you’re looking for as well, maybe check with them.
The guidance from HMRC is on this link.
It’s interesting wording that it uses when it says you can’t have it if you choose to work from home. As your employer has made a change to your terms of employment because of your medical condition I don’t think that counts as a choice, it absolutely is a reasonable adjustment. In the bit where it tells you how to claim, it says that you have to provide Proof that you have to work from home before you get it, so it sounds like your employer has already done all of that.
I have discuss the question with my employer and there is nothing to worry about as homeworking option has been included in my contract of employment. The contribution I’m receiving is from my employer. If you was however claiming any tax relief on my homeworking, that could be another matter.
So all is fine as it can be.
Thank you all