If you have been working from home because of the Covid-19 pandemic then you may be eligible to get some cash to help cover the costs.
It's not much but as the months have gone on - and let's face it - few of us expected to still be in this situation more than a year on, it may be worth adding to the pennies.
The process is simple but you do need to be able to set up a Gateway ID on the government website and have details of your payslips and identification like a passport to get started on the .
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And you can still claim even if you only work from home for part of the week.
You cannot claim tax relief if you choose to work from home.
The allowance is designed to cover costs heating, metered water bills, home contents insurance, business calls or a new broadband connection. They do not include costs that would stay the same whether you were working at home or in an office, such as mortgage interest, rent or council tax.
You may also be able to , such as a laptop, chair or mobile phone.
How much you can claim
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You can either claim tax relief on:
- £6 a week from 6 April 2020 (for previous tax years the rate is £4 a week) - you will not need to keep evidence of your extra costs
- the exact amount of extra costs you’ve incurred above the weekly amount - you’ll need evidence such as receipts, bills or contracts
You’ll get tax relief based on the rate at which you pay tax. For example, if you pay the 20% basic rate of tax and claim tax relief on £6 a week you would get £1.20 per week in tax relief (20% of £6).
To make a claim, you will need to ensure that your employer has not been giving you this additional amount on behalf of HMRC - this should be clear from your payslip.
And you will need to have details of your NI number, your payslip and documentation like a passport to make a claim.
You make a claim on the