work at home tax back

greengrocer

Hi all

I work in Higher Education, and as far as I can tell from the Revenue website am entitled to claim tax back because I work from home and one of my rooms is set aside just for working.

There is a special situation for HE workers, which means that I don't have to be working at home at the explicit request of the employer.

They work it out as a percentage of the rooms in the house - and I can claim back money from heating and electricity etc (and council tax but not from 2006, I think).

I have a question for anyone who knows what I'm talking about

I moved into this house in July 2004, but was working in the same job when I lived in the house before this one. I have statements for electricity and gas use for this house, but not for the previous one. Do you know if the Revenue will want proof or will they go from an estimate?

I have tried asking my tax office this but they keep saying I have to write to them. I've tried this but am struggling to get a sensible reply. So, I thought I'd ask here instead in case anyone has successfully claimed money back.

I'm PAYE by the way.

Cheers
GG

bootman

Your contract has to state your place of work as home to claim anything. You have to be able to demonstrate your extra costs for gas and electric to them. You do have to write to them to get any allowance. You can claim a flat £2 a week allowance but only for the working weeks. So if you get long holidays you wont get anything for those.

I have just been awarded the £2 for 48 weeks of the year. They made it so impossible and jargonsied how to demonstrate the extra costs.

Good luck

greengrocer

Thanks for that. That's what I keep hearing, but I'm sure it's different for the HE sector. I'll have to do some more digging.

GG