BACK TO THE OFFICE AND HOW READING THIS ARTICLE MAY MAKE YOU £124.80 BETTER OFF
O
n 23 March 2020 the Prime Minister addressed the nation describing the coronavirus as the biggest threat this country has faced for decades. He continued by saying that we should only leave home for very limited purposes including travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home. And so it was that more than a year ago we fled our offices in droves, clutching laptops and spare screens as we exited our workplaces heading toward we knew not what. Working from home has given us all a new perspective on that work-life balance. There’s a new flexibility and perhaps the mind set of many bosses has changed forever. If the work has been successfully delivered and deadlines met then surely we can redefine how the future might look? It already feels old fashioned to waste time and burn fossil fuels to join the rush hour in order to work sat in the office, at a PC connected to the server, when that same connection can be made by a laptop from home. One thing to be aware of, is that an employee can claim tax relief for additional household costs that arise because they have had to work from home even for just a part of the year. (the claim can be made even if you are furloughed and did not work). We can each claim an annual allowance of £312, which is worth a minimum of £62.40 or £124.80 for basic and higher rate taxpayers respectively. You can claim this by either ringing HMRC or using the online portal that was created to deal with the demand. The claim can be made both for the 2021 tax year and the current tax year and therefore if you are eligible, your minimum tax saving will be £124.80. Company directors are possibly already making some claim via their own companies
30 | SKBramhall & Woodford - July/August 2021
and so must check with their accountant first. We have been asked by clients who have businesses about possible tax relief on the installation of offices in gardens. Often there is a misconception that their company can fund everything and claim tax relief on the whole project. There is some tax relief that may be claimed, but only on some specific elements of the structure, such as electrics, plumbing, heating, shelving and office equipment. If there is any element of private use then we are in the realm of Benefits in Kind and P11ds, and an annual tax liability arising due to some personal use of your new ‘man or woman cave’ will be unwelcome news. At the moment, 21 June 2021 is slated for the conclusion of Social Distancing and all restrictions and therefore an easy day for the employer to mark on the calendar as ‘return to the office day’ for employees. But an employer has a duty of care towards all staff and must be flexible and take into account any concerns individuals may have and therefore there may still be some fluidity. We need to see our colleagues face to face, we need to mentor and support younger staff. Zoom and Teams have been excellent and have made video calls seem natural and a new part of doing business, but we need a mixture now, and I think we can all look forward to more flexibility around our office work. My concern is do I actually have a suit that I can fit into? Peter Bevan Bevan & Co, Chartered Accountants peter@bevan.co.uk
