How to claim back up to £63 in tax on energy bills if you’ve been working from home
WORKERS heading back to the office can claim back up to £63 in tax to cover the extra cost of working from home during the coronavirus lockdown.
And with millions of people heading back to work, now is the perfect time to get your money back, according to Martin Lewis, founder of consumer site Money Saving Expert.
Employers can reimburse staff directly for the costs incurred but many businesses are not in a position to do this, leaving employees claiming back the tax on these expenses themselves instead.
How much is your coronavirus tax back claim worth?
TAX relief can be claimed on expenses of up to £6 per week (or £4 prior to April 6). After lockdown was declared on March 23, here's how much money you're entitled to if you're returning to work this week:
Additional rate taxpayer
Two weeks at £1.80 per week = £3.60
22 weeks at £2.70 per week = £59.40
Total: £63
Higher rate taxpayer
Two weeks at £1.60 per week = £3.20
22 weeks at £2.40 = £52.80
Total: £56
Standard rate taxpayer
Two weeks at 80p per week = £1.60
22 weeks at £1.20 per week = £26.40
Total: £28
Money can also be claimed on expenses of more than £6 per week but it is more complicated, requiring evidence of the additional costs which can be tricky to do with something such as energy costs.
But Martin recommends those returning to the office make a claim now for the time they've been working from home.
Here's what you need to know.
How much can I claim?
The amount of money people can get depends on their tax rate and it's the highest rate of tax you pay that's used.
It's fairly straightforward with a Government Gateway account which you may already have or you can set up.
Anyone who already completes a self-assessment form can do it through that.
For a P87, you'll need your employer's name, your job title and your PAYE reference, something that's found on payslips or a P60. You'll also need your National Insurance number if sending by post.
In the section called "using your home as an office", you'll be asked to enter the amount you paid.
This is up to £6 per week and you won't have to show receipts or prove this is how much you spent.
You'll also be asked to enter the amount repaid by your employer. This will be zero if you haven't been reimbursed.
If you have been reimbursed you can't claim back the tax - your employer has already included this.
You usually get the money back by paying less tax, rather than receiving a refund. Your tax code may be adjusted to show this.
The time it takes for this to happen can vary and there are likely to be a larger number of claims than usual so there could be delays.
For people who want to know how much can you earn before paying tax, we've created a guide for you.
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