Claiming VAT back on laptop for work purposes

trickster

I have just brought a laptop for my wife. She will be using it 90% for work purposes. She is a teacher and will be preparing all her lessons on it.

Can I claim the VAT back? If so, how do I go about this?

lush_walrus

Yes, if you are a VAT registered business.

trickster

Oh, stuff it then.

lush_walrus

There might be some tax relief to be had though, but perhaps someone else will know how and if this can happen when you are a staff member as apose to business expenses.

Cook_County

Your wife can claim capital allowances on the business use if the computer is wholly exclusively and necessarily required for the employment. If the contract of employment does not specify that she must provide her own equipment then it is not necessarily required and no allowance will be available.

sarahlouise210

It may have been better for you to purchase the laptop via the Home Computer Initiative. The scheme workes by your employer buying the computer for you and you make the loan payments each month (over usually 3 years) - the great thing about the scheme is that the payments are deducted before tax and NI are calcuated so say for example you were paying monthly payments of £50 you would not pay Tax or NI on that £50 - quite a saving if you pay tax at 22% - fantastic saving if you pay 40% !! At the end of the "loan" period you pay a one off market value nominal charge if you want to keep the computer - if you dont you just get a new one and continue with the payments. This scheme is also available for bikes.