Work from home electricity cost

Grumpy_chap

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

DullGreyGuy

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

The devil is in the detail of what you include... I use just my efficient laptop and a LED table lamp in all but the darkest of days so about £15 per year as mentioned earlier. A large external monitor would add a fair bit but I don't use mine very often at all.

I eat a sandwich at work and drink water so would therefore find it peculiar to now include oven/hob costs for cooking a meal for lunch but have seen plenty that do plus microwave for snacks and kettle for drinks. 

Heating is clearly the most complex bit and those claiming high costs seem to think they are running their boiler at full pelt 8+ hours a day purely for the benefit of working from home. No idea if they have TRVs or using them or think heating the whole house to 22C so the box room is warm enough to work in is reasonable. 

Albermarle

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Plus you often save money by working from home, so seems a bit daft arguing over a couple of quid a week.

LeafGreen

Albermarle said:

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Plus you often save money by working from home, so seems a bit daft arguing over a couple of quid a week.

I agree with this, although it does annoy me a bit on principle when employers refuse to give any allowance towards heating/electric/internet costs (which is the case for me).
However on the flip side, in my case I am saving nearly £100/month petrol for a 15 mile each way commute, probably 45 mins+/day drive time, car wear and tear, stress of driving amongst lunatics on the local by-pass during rush hour, having to prep lunches or spend money on expensive sandwiches etc.
It's worth asking your employer if they will give an allowance but not worth kicking up too much of a fuss if they refuse, in my opinion.
Sounds like the OP was WFH from day 1 so I'd have thought the time to agree an allowance or judge whether salary was enough to cover such costs was before signing contracts.

Grumpy_chap

Albermarle said:

Plus you often save money by working from home, so seems a bit daft arguing over a couple of quid a week.

Well, yes, and perhaps more significantly, time.  Time is priceless.

Apparently, though, judging from other threads that have appeared on this topic, there are a lot of people who walk to work only seconds away from their front door and never buy a machine coffee or supermarket lunch or after work social and this remarkable cohort spend a fortune on heating, hot water, cooked lunch, etc when WFH

Albermarle

grahamgoo said:

Albermarle said:

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Plus you often save money by working from home, so seems a bit daft arguing over a couple of quid a week.

I agree with this, although it does annoy me a bit on principle when employers refuse to give any allowance towards heating/electric/internet costs (which is the case for me).
However on the flip side, in my case I am saving nearly £100/month petrol for a 15 mile each way commute, probably 45 mins+/day drive time, car wear and tear, stress of driving amongst lunatics on the local by-pass during rush hour, having to prep lunches or spend money on expensive sandwiches etc.
It's worth asking your employer if they will give an allowance but not worth kicking up too much of a fuss if they refuse, in my opinion.
Sounds like the OP was WFH from day 1 so I'd have thought the time to agree an allowance or judge whether salary was enough to cover such costs was before signing contracts.

Yes they might say, well now you have brought it to our attention we were thinking you would be better coming back to work in the office 4 days a week.
So could be a shooting yourself in the foot situation.

DullGreyGuy

grahamgoo said:

Albermarle said:

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Plus you often save money by working from home, so seems a bit daft arguing over a couple of quid a week.

I agree with this, although it does annoy me a bit on principle when employers refuse to give any allowance towards heating/electric/internet costs (which is the case for me).
However on the flip side, in my case I am saving nearly £100/month petrol for a 15 mile each way commute, probably 45 mins+/day drive time, car wear and tear, stress of driving amongst lunatics on the local by-pass during rush hour, having to prep lunches or spend money on expensive sandwiches etc

Your internet costs have changed because of WFH? Didnt realise there were any services left that charge you by volume of traffic @grahamgoo!  

You say you're having to pay a bit more in electricity so think your employer should contribute but saving hundreds on fuel and wear on your car. Have you offered to share that saving with your employer too?

[Deleted User]

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Speaking of which, could I claim the basic £6? I'm guessing not, but worth checking.

Grumpy_chap

[Deleted User] said:

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Speaking of which, could I claim the basic £6? I'm guessing not, but worth checking.

I thought you had accepted upthread, following the guidance linked by @Jeremy535897 that you were not eligible to claim that tax relief:

[Deleted User] said:

Jeremy535897 said:

You have to establish first whether your situation qualifies. See:
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim32790

Thanks, that is a useful answer. It looks like example 9 covers me, the "choice" not to move home nearer to the office means I get nothing.

Seems ridiculous, what if the company relocated to London and you simply couldn't afford to live there? But, the rules are the rules, and I'm in no position to challenge them.

Thanks again Jeremy.

Is there something else that I missed?

LeafGreen

DullGreyGuy said:

grahamgoo said:

Albermarle said:

Grumpy_chap said:

[Deleted User] said:

I estimate it will be in the order of about £200/year of electricity. Gas is harder to calculate because it varies with temperature.

I note the OP has accepted in a later post that they will not qualify for tax relief under the WFH, but I still thought this calculation of £200 per year is a useful figure.
Pro-rata across 45 working weeks that comes to around £4.50 per week.  Less than the default tax relief level of £6.
I think that is a useful number for the forum to have given there are periodically threads where individuals will argue till the cows come home how ridiculously low the £6 relief is.

Plus you often save money by working from home, so seems a bit daft arguing over a couple of quid a week.

I agree with this, although it does annoy me a bit on principle when employers refuse to give any allowance towards heating/electric/internet costs (which is the case for me).
However on the flip side, in my case I am saving nearly £100/month petrol for a 15 mile each way commute, probably 45 mins+/day drive time, car wear and tear, stress of driving amongst lunatics on the local by-pass during rush hour, having to prep lunches or spend money on expensive sandwiches etc

Your internet costs have changed because of WFH? Didnt realise there were any services left that charge you by volume of traffic @grahamgoo!  

You say you're having to pay a bit more in electricity so think your employer should contribute but saving hundreds on fuel and wear on your car. Have you offered to share that saving with your employer too?

Sorry I was perhaps a little unclear.  My point was that yes I am saving petrol/travel costs etc so I am not inclined to kick up too much of a fuss about electricity costs, because I realise that overall I am better off and given the choice I would continue to WFH without any allowance rather than go back to commuting to an office with the associated costs.  Come to think of it I originally worked within walking distance of my office, only for the office to relocate 15 miles away.  I did get an allowance for that move but only for a limited amount of time, so if I compare back to then, I am not making any savings.

And no, my internet costs do not change but that doesn't mean my employer should just be able to piggy back that for free, but that is what they are doing.  If you worked in an office and gave a colleague a lift in every day, would it be fair for them to say hey, you're driving in anyway so I won't contribute towards petrol?