WFH Claim

cheshire5678

My employer has told me that I cannot claim the £6 per week WFH allowance as my usual cost for travelling into work is far greater and therefore I am saving b not having to travel, e.g. it costs £100pm (season ticket) to travel to work which I have not needed to do for the majority of 2020 due to Covid and therefore as I am saving, I cannot claim the £6 per week.  Is this right?

bradders1983

You can claim it yourself but you only get £6 tax relief, not £6 per week cash. After tax you are looking at £1.20pw if you pay basic rate.

Your employer is choosing not to add an extra £6pw to your pay which is fair enough tbh. Its either one route or the other. Follow the MSE guide to claim the tax relief yourself.

[Deleted User]

For the sake of what you’ll save versus what your saving on travel. Why complain? 

thesouthernnortherner

I'm out of pocket as heating costs are far more than commuting costs for me. If it's not raining, I can walk to work. My flat has no gas connection and my storage heater is broken (trying to replace but electricians are pretty busy). Still been told 'no' for claiming the £6. Despite them topping up furloughed staff to 100% full pay earlier this year.

And it's the last point that gets me the most. Yes, I'm grateful I have a job, but there's been no acknowledgement for all of us who worked longer hours at home, while others had a couple of months work free on full pay. It's nice that the company did that for them, but why so inflexible on the £6 per week?

Jeremy535897

thesouthernnortherner said:

I'm out of pocket as heating costs are far more than commuting costs for me. If it's not raining, I can walk to work. My flat has no gas connection and my storage heater is broken (trying to replace but electricians are pretty busy). Still been told 'no' for claiming the £6. Despite them topping up furloughed staff to 100% full pay earlier this year.

And it's the last point that gets me the most. Yes, I'm grateful I have a job, but there's been no acknowledgement for all of us who worked longer hours at home, while others had a couple of months work free on full pay. It's nice that the company did that for them, but why so inflexible on the £6 per week?

Only your employer can answer that.

thesouthernnortherner

Jeremy535897 said:

thesouthernnortherner said:

I'm out of pocket as heating costs are far more than commuting costs for me. If it's not raining, I can walk to work. My flat has no gas connection and my storage heater is broken (trying to replace but electricians are pretty busy). Still been told 'no' for claiming the £6. Despite them topping up furloughed staff to 100% full pay earlier this year.

And it's the last point that gets me the most. Yes, I'm grateful I have a job, but there's been no acknowledgement for all of us who worked longer hours at home, while others had a couple of months work free on full pay. It's nice that the company did that for them, but why so inflexible on the £6 per week?

Only your employer can answer that.

True. But I'll be frowned upon for asking. I think management often forget that circumstances are very different among staff. Still, I might, very politely, make enquires with the right people. I've been told I could ask to work from the office, but with capacity down to 1/6th, me taking up a well-needed desk all week doesn't seem right either (and there are front-facing teams who need that access more than me). 

Jeremy535897

thesouthernnortherner said:

Jeremy535897 said:

thesouthernnortherner said:

I'm out of pocket as heating costs are far more than commuting costs for me. If it's not raining, I can walk to work. My flat has no gas connection and my storage heater is broken (trying to replace but electricians are pretty busy). Still been told 'no' for claiming the £6. Despite them topping up furloughed staff to 100% full pay earlier this year.

And it's the last point that gets me the most. Yes, I'm grateful I have a job, but there's been no acknowledgement for all of us who worked longer hours at home, while others had a couple of months work free on full pay. It's nice that the company did that for them, but why so inflexible on the £6 per week?

Only your employer can answer that.

True. But I'll be frowned upon for asking. I think management often forget that circumstances are very different among staff. Still, I might, very politely, make enquires with the right people. I've been told I could ask to work from the office, but with capacity down to 1/6th, me taking up a well-needed desk all week doesn't seem right either (and there are front-facing teams who need that access more than me). 

I suggest you do that, but it's not really a question this forum can answer.

Grumpy_chap

thesouthernnortherner said:

why so inflexible on the £6 per week?

These are very tough times for many businesses.  Maybe they just truly can't tolerate any extra burden - it is not just £6 for you as they would have to pay others also.  I would not ask if it were me.

[Deleted User]

thesouthernnortherner said:

I'm out of pocket as heating costs are far more than commuting costs for me. If it's not raining, I can walk to work. My flat has no gas connection and my storage heater is broken (trying to replace but electricians are pretty busy). Still been told 'no' for claiming the £6. Despite them topping up furloughed staff to 100% full pay earlier this year.

And it's the last point that gets me the most. Yes, I'm grateful I have a job, but there's been no acknowledgement for all of us who worked longer hours at home, while others had a couple of months work free on full pay. It's nice that the company did that for them, but why so inflexible on the £6 per week?

You may want to look at your supplier if that’s the case.