Will you dare to think about the cost of the wifi boosters, the wheely chair and all the extra heating you used during lockdown? Yeah, we used a lot of energy (all in the name of our jobs) during the pandemic – and many of us are still WFH most of the time. Surely our employers owe us one, right?
Well, apparently, workers can still claim £6 per week from the government to help cover extra costs incurred by spending more time at home. During an episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV, the host explained that workers can apply via Gov.uk, which launched an online tool for claiming tax relief during the pandemic, even if they only had to work at home for one day.
According to the website, you can only claim for things to do with your work, such as business phone calls and gas and electricity for your work area. This includes heating bills, but you can’t claim for things that you use for both private and business use, such as rent or broadband access. You also can’t claim relief if you choose to WFH, but you’re eligible if you have to work from home, for example, because your job requires you to live far away from the office or your employer has no office.
So, if you are eligible, you can claim £6 a week (and date it back to April 6 2020). You might also be entitled to claim back any extra costs you’ve spent above the weekly allowance but you’ll need receipts, bills or contracts as evidence.
Though it’s unlikely that your Argos wheely chair will get refunded (neither will that wifi booster), £6 a week actually adds up to more than £300 a year, so you might as well figure out what you’re entitled to. You can check your eligibility and make a claim here.
ICYMI: more train strikes are planned for October and November.