Tax free computers?

[chrisjl]

A couple of people have independantly told me that there is currently a tax exemption for employees buying computers (to help spread IT literacy). Neither Google or inlandrevenue.gov.uk have managed to confirm this (the latter does talk about employer owned equipment lent to employees, but I've been given the impression that this rule applies to employee owned equipment).
Does anyone know any more?

[Mikey G]

Our company is just thinking about doing this, they are giving all its employees the option to buy IT equipment for the price they pay which is from what i understand VAT free.

Mike

[slinky]

One of the managers in my office has details on this, I'll grab them off him tomorrow and drop you a line...

slinky

[r32]

The company i work for has just done this. In our case the equipment is for hire, not purchase.

[Liszt]

Ours has done it too. Lease the kit and you get it VAT free.

However, The prices were retail prices and a bit of shopping could have got the kit at a similar price.

[Kinky]

It's called the Home Computing Initiative.

And is only applicable or valid until Mid-october I think

K

[chrisjl]

Mikey,
That sounds like just the thing.

Slinky,
If you're talking about the same thing as Mikey, I'm keen to hear more.

r32, Liszt, Kinky,
That doesn't sound like quite the right thing (or it's a variation of it) - I'm looking to buy and not pay income tax on the value (or get the VAT back). Basically, I want a cheap Powerbook

[slinky]

here is a link to the DTI site for the HCI (Home Computing Initiative)... That should give you all of the details on the concept...

AFAIR, it is designed to enable employee's to purchase computers for home use through their companies in an HP fashion..

The cost (at whatever discount the company can get from their supplier, remember your company will be liable for tax reductions on this) is paid in full by the company and then deducted from your pay on a monthly basis (or as agreed with the company)..

So, if your firm have a good thing going with an Apple supplier, you may be able to get your wish..

HTH,

slinky

[wiggy001]

The company I work for does this. Basically, you buy a PC (up to the value of £1500 I believe) interest free over a few years. The payments for the pc are taken from your wages before Tax and NI are deducted so in effect you are getting a 23% or 41% discount (depending on whether you are a higher rate tax payer).

We are also doing the same thing with mobile phones at the moment...

[simpo two]

I wonder if any Labour politicians can actually use a computer? I don't see Gordy typing his own letters...

[pdV6]

A place my brother in law used to work for had a similar scheme. Basically they "gave" you a PC to take home in order to become more computer-literate and after 2 years you could buy it from the company at a knock-down price.

In his case, he already had a new PC, so obtained one for me instead. At the time it was a top-of-the range Dell (P2-333 ) and I eventually paid about £200 for it, which was nice.

[Pigeon]

And I thought this thread was going to be about obtaining laptops free of the Microshite tax - ie. how to buy one with a blank HD, instead of having to pay for the XP installation which Linux-heads immediately wipe anyway.

[chrisjl]

Pigeon said:

And I thought this thread was going to be about obtaining laptops free of the Microshite tax

It is. I want a Powerbook.

[robertuk]

Scheme for bikes /PDAs/Laptops

"Benefit from the latest PCs/Bikes on a TAX free basis" - quote from website

www.booost.uk.com/

Enjoy,

R

[Bodo]

Pigeon said:

And I thought this thread was going to be about obtaining laptops free of the Microshite tax - ie. how to buy one with a blank HD, instead of having to pay for the XP installation which Linux-heads immediately wipe anyway.

Asus offer their notebooks with or without o/s in Germany. They're reported to work well with Linux too.

[Pigeon]

That's useful to know, cheers.