Renting Flat for Work - Tax Deductible?

NightFox

I'm starting a job in the new year in London, though presently live with my family in a mortgaged property in Shropshire. It's going to take a while to sell the house, and we'd prefer to keep the family in situ until the end of this school year. This means I'm going to have to rent a flat in London to live in on my own during the week, returning home to Shropshire at weekends.

So my question is; is the rental I will be paying for my flat income tax deductible? Does this also apply to related charges such as council tax and utility bills?

The job is a PAYE job, but I will still have to complete an annual tax return as I'm also a sole trader. I do also have a Ltd company, although this is dormant at the moment.

Thanks for any advice,

Neil

BitterAndTwisted

Unlikely or we'd all be offsetting our housing-costs against our tax bills. I think it's all down to the Revenue's definition of usual place of work, so if you had to book a hotel while being away from your usual place of work, you could but not otherwise.

HMRC have a phone line where you can make enquiries, so why don't you call and ask them?

NightFox

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Unlikely or we'd all be offsetting our housing-costs against our tax bills. I think it's all down to the Revenue's definition of usual place of work, so if you had to book a hotel while being away from your usual place of work, you could but not otherwise.

HMRC have a phone line where you can make enquiries, so why don't you call and ask them?

Thought it might be different though as this would be solely required for my job. I'll give them a call though, thanks!

BitterAndTwisted

To keep costs down if you can't offset it against your tax-bill might be to look into becoming a Monday to Friday lodger or a Sunday to Thursday one in someone's home if you'll be going back to the family home at the weekends. MUCH cheaper than taking on a rental of a studio or one-bedroomed flat for 6 to 9 months.