Working from home allowance - non taxpayer

[anonymous-user]

Hi Chaps,

My sister, who works for the NHS, has been obliged to work from home because of the COVID-19 situation. I believe that a small allowance of £6 a week is claimable in these circumstances, by way of an increase in tax code - at least for those who pay tax.

My sister, however, earns just below the personal allowance figure, and consequently pays no income tax. She has been told by her HR department that she can't therefore claim this allowance.

Is this correct, or should she request the payment directly from her employer?

It would seem most unfair that this allowance would not be made available to those who can least afford it :-(

[CaptainSlow]

It isn't an allowance as such, it is a tax code amendment (increase). If she doesn't pay any tax then they'll be no impact for her.

[Mr Pointy]

How much is she saving in travel costs by not having to go to work?

[anonymous-user]

Mr Pointy said:

How much is she saving in travel costs by not having to go to work?

About the same amount as her tax-paying colleagues.

[Countdown]

280E said:

Hi Chaps,

My sister, who works for the NHS, has been obliged to work from home because of the COVID-19 situation. I believe that a small allowance of £6 a week is claimable in these circumstances, by way of an increase in tax code - at least for those who pay tax.

My sister, however, earns just below the personal allowance figure, and consequently pays no income tax. She has been told by her HR department that she can't therefore claim this allowance.

Is this correct, or should she request the payment directly from her employer?

It would seem most unfair that this allowance would not be made available to those who can least afford it :-(

It's correct in that she can only get a tax rebate if she's paying tax.

She can certainly ask her employer for the extra £26 pcm but the chances of her getting it would be slim to none.

p.s its not really got anything to do with her HR DEpartment. She needs to contact HMRC, they'll amend the tax code and notify her Employers. It might be worth doing anyway just in case she goes over the PA threshold before the end of the FY year.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks Countdown.

I appreciate that it's not an 'allowance' as such, but has the same net benefit to those who do pay tax.

It seems somewhat discriminatory that our lower-paid 'NHS heroes' cannot benefit in the same way as those higher up the food chain.

[Pieman68]

I may be wrong but I believe it's £6 a week that you can claim tax relief against, rather than an actual £6 per week payment

So in effect, as a taxpayer it would give a tax saving of around £1.20 per week and as a non taxpayer there is no benefit to claim

[Pothole]

easy enough to check eligibility for tax relief: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/claim-tax-relief-ex...

[anonymous-user]

Pieman68 said:

I may be wrong but I believe it's £6 a week that you can claim tax relief against, rather than an actual £6 per week payment

So in effect, as a taxpayer it would give a tax saving of around £1.20 per week and as a non taxpayer there is no benefit to claim

Thanks, Pieman - I'll let her know!

[Pothole]

280E said:

Pieman68 said:

I may be wrong but I believe it's £6 a week that you can claim tax relief against, rather than an actual £6 per week payment

So in effect, as a taxpayer it would give a tax saving of around £1.20 per week and as a non taxpayer there is no benefit to claim

Thanks, Pieman - I'll let her know!

You're correct, Pieman.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated!

My sister was on the phone for half an hour last night about this - sounds like she might have got the actual amounts involved a bit muddled....

[TwigtheWonderkid]

280E said:

Thanks Countdown.

I appreciate that it's not an 'allowance' as such, but has the same net benefit to those who do pay tax.

It seems somewhat discriminatory that our lower-paid 'NHS heroes' cannot benefit in the same way as those higher up the food chain.

You could also argue that it's unfair that 40% taxpayers get twice as much money as 20% tax payers.

[Caddyshack]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

280E said:

Thanks Countdown.

I appreciate that it's not an 'allowance' as such, but has the same net benefit to those who do pay tax.

It seems somewhat discriminatory that our lower-paid 'NHS heroes' cannot benefit in the same way as those higher up the food chain.

You could also argue that it's unfair that 40% taxpayers get twice as much money as 20% tax payers.

40% tax payers do not necessarily get twice as much money as 20% tax payers, in fact, they have to get paid much more gross to end up with double net for net so you could also argue that an uncapped 40% is not fair as the cost of each human may be the same but the higher earners have to add more to the pot.

[PorkInsider]

280E said:

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated!

My sister was on the phone for half an hour last night about this - sounds like she might have got the actual amounts involved a bit muddled....

I received a cheque from HMRC for (I think) £134 when I filled in the online form to claim the WFH allowance. I permanently WFH but was spurred on to bother filling the form in when the allowance was publicised more due to COVID.

As Twig mentioned, being a higher rate payer means I'm benefitting even more. I'm not sure how it sits with me, to be honest, but it's not much different to other allowances, such as that available if you have a work uniform you have to self-launder...

I really, really don't need the £134 by any means so, especially as it's Christmas, I'd very happily pass it on to your sister, via you, as I appreciate her work as a low earner in the NHS.

Just PM me.

[PorkInsider]

Caddyshack said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

280E said:

Thanks Countdown.

I appreciate that it's not an 'allowance' as such, but has the same net benefit to those who do pay tax.

It seems somewhat discriminatory that our lower-paid 'NHS heroes' cannot benefit in the same way as those higher up the food chain.

You could also argue that it's unfair that 40% taxpayers get twice as much money as 20% tax payers.

40% tax payers do not necessarily get twice as much money as 20% tax payers, in fact, they have to get paid much more gross to end up with double net for net so you could also argue that an uncapped 40% is not fair as the cost of each human may be the same but the higher earners have to add more to the pot.

Pretty sure Twig means that a 40% taxpayer claiming the allowance gets twice as much refunded as a 20% payer.

[Benrad]

PorkInsider said:

I received a cheque from HMRC for (I think) £134 when I filled in the online form to claim the WFH allowance. I permanently WFH but was spurred on to bother filling the form in when the allowance was publicised more due to COVID.

As Twig mentioned, being a higher rate payer means I'm benefitting even more. I'm not sure how it sits with me, to be honest, but it's not much different to other allowances, such as that available if you have a work uniform you have to self-launder...

I really, really don't need the £134 by any means so, especially as it's Christmas, I'd very happily pass it on to your sister, via you, as I appreciate her work as a low earner in the NHS.

Just PM me.

Nice one! Merry Christmas!

[CharlesElliott]

PorkInsider said:

I received a cheque from HMRC for (I think) £134 when I filled in the online form to claim the WFH allowance. I permanently WFH but was spurred on to bother filling the form in when the allowance was publicised more due to COVID.

As Twig mentioned, being a higher rate payer means I'm benefitting even more. I'm not sure how it sits with me, to be honest, but it's not much different to other allowances, such as that available if you have a work uniform you have to self-launder...

I really, really don't need the £134 by any means so, especially as it's Christmas, I'd very happily pass it on to your sister, via you, as I appreciate her work as a low earner in the NHS.

Just PM me.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

PorkInsider said:

Caddyshack said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

280E said:

Thanks Countdown.

I appreciate that it's not an 'allowance' as such, but has the same net benefit to those who do pay tax.

It seems somewhat discriminatory that our lower-paid 'NHS heroes' cannot benefit in the same way as those higher up the food chain.

You could also argue that it's unfair that 40% taxpayers get twice as much money as 20% tax payers.

40% tax payers do not necessarily get twice as much money as 20% tax payers, in fact, they have to get paid much more gross to end up with double net for net so you could also argue that an uncapped 40% is not fair as the cost of each human may be the same but the higher earners have to add more to the pot.

Pretty sure Twig means that a 40% taxpayer claiming the allowance gets twice as much refunded as a 20% payer.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

[Caddyshack]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

PorkInsider said:

Caddyshack said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

280E said:

Thanks Countdown.

I appreciate that it's not an 'allowance' as such, but has the same net benefit to those who do pay tax.

It seems somewhat discriminatory that our lower-paid 'NHS heroes' cannot benefit in the same way as those higher up the food chain.

You could also argue that it's unfair that 40% taxpayers get twice as much money as 20% tax payers.

40% tax payers do not necessarily get twice as much money as 20% tax payers, in fact, they have to get paid much more gross to end up with double net for net so you could also argue that an uncapped 40% is not fair as the cost of each human may be the same but the higher earners have to add more to the pot.

Pretty sure Twig means that a 40% taxpayer claiming the allowance gets twice as much refunded as a 20% payer.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

Sorry, got wrong end of the stick. I would see it that they had lost more Tax so got more back?