Tax relief for charging work equipment

absolutelyfedup

Hi,  for 12 years now I have worked for an employer who provides me with a mobile phone which functions as a computer from which I do my work.  I survey people on public transport using it.  I rarely go to the office and charge my phone at home.  My work is sent directly to the phone.  I get no money from my employer for doing this.  With the price of electricity rising I have been wondering if I can claim tax relief for this but the tax website just directs me to the working from home part which seems to be for people who have worked from home throughout coronavirus.

Does anyone know if I can claim for my electricity?

Jeremy535897

Even with the price increases, the cost of charging a mobile phone is about £2 - £3 a year. That's about 50p in tax terms at the basic rate.

To claim tax relief for working from home, you have to be required to work from home, either because it is in the nature of your employment, or because you have no workplace provided (merely choosing to live a long way away from the workplace does not suffice). I usually direct posters asking this question here:
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim32790

Dazed_and_C0nfused

And if you are a straightforward PAYE taxpayer you probably owe £1-£2 in tax each year so any claim would simply reduce this to an even smaller amount, you wouldn't get a refund 

absolutelyfedup

Thanks.  Ive been looking at my finances with the aim of retiring in the next couple of years but I struggle with doing stuff online.  So this saves me a job.