Tax Relief for Commuting to Work Costs

LMCox

I’ve started an online petition to allow commuters to claim income tax relief on the cost of travelling to work. Commuters spend their own money to travel to work. Fuel & public transport costs rise and it costs more per year to get to work.
House prices force people out of areas & make more expensive commutes. Where workers live & where companies are located could be positively influenced by such a move. If all workers had the opportunity to claim tax relief on their annual commute this would ease the housing market, create job mobility and employment in more regions. I think it’s unfair and unreasonable that hard working people are taxed to travel to their place of work.

If you agree please visit the UK Government and Parliament Petitions website and search for Allow Tax Relief for Commuting to Work Costs to sign the petition.

MacMickster

Sorry but I completely disagree with this.

The pay of any employment should be sufficient either for the employee to live locally, or to cover the cost of the commute if they don't live locally.

This would merely transfer costs from the employer, who could then pay less, to the taxpayer - more specifically to those taxpayers who don't have an expensive commute.

lincroft1710

I don't think it matters how many (perhaps that should be few) people sign your petition, I cannot see this happening.

dlmcr

You say that house prices force people out of areas and into long expensive commutes. The issue of expensive and arduous commuting is created by high house prices not the cause of it. If you create the tax relief you aim for then house prices will rise by the difference so you are no better off. In general a) we are too London centric so the vast majority of the economy is based in the south east, b) we have commoditised housing to the extent that a "normal" person cannot afford to buy in many places south of a line between around Bristol and Cambridge - plus govt not bothered about sorting the prblem out which they could do if they wanted to , and c) employers themselves are part of the problem preferring to rent expensive office space in expensive parts of the country and then forcing workers to physically come in every day rather than trusting them to work remotely.

TELLIT01

If tax on everything was scrapped it would make things cheaper, but where would the funds required by Government come from?

ohreally

Pass this cost onto the tax payer rather than open discussions with the employers for cost of living uprates.

Wayne_O_Mac

I've started an online petition to force Margot Robbie to marry me.

It stands as much chance of success as yours.

getmore4less

Commuting should be taxed higher not lower.

motorguy

getmore4less wrote: »

Commuting should be taxed higher not lower.

And what would that achieve?

caronoel

Who will pay for this tax rebate for suburban dwellers?

In my corner of leaft Surrey, first class on thr trains on my route are occupied by many contractors and self employed.

If anything, thier tax free commute should be withdrawn rather than opening it up to all and sundry.

motorguy

caronoel wrote: »

Who will pay for this tax rebate for suburban dwellers?

In my corner of leaft Surrey, first class on thr trains on my route are occupied by many contractors and self employed.

If anything, thier tax free commute should be withdrawn rather than opening it up to all and sundry.

If they're commuting from their office to another place of work, then thats quite normal and why wouldnt they claim expenses?

I take it when you are asked to visit another office or do training off site, you submit an expense claim for your travel?