Thousands of people working from home have just DAYS left to claim tax relief worth £280 a year

THOUSANDS of people who work from home have just days left to claim tax relief from the Government worth £280 a year.

During the Covid pandemic thousands of employees were told to work remotely.

Anyone who worked from home during this time could claim tax relief to cover the extra cost of remote working, such as higher water or heating bills.

But eligible workers who have not yet claimed for this period have just days left to do so.

This is because you can claim tax relief for the current tax year and the four previous ones.

You need to claim before the tax year ends on April 5, which means you must act now.

Read on to find out how tax relief works, how to claim and what you could get.

How does tax relief work?

Tax relief is something you can claim to reduce your overall tax bill.

You may be able to claim it if you use your own money for things you need to buy for your job and you only use these items for work.

This can include uniforms, work clothing, tools, vehicles you use for work, professional fees and subscriptions.

You can also claim for travel and overnight expenses.

The amount of tax relief you get is based on what you have spent and the rate at which you pay tax.

For example, if you claim £60 and pay tax at a rate of 20% in that year, the amount you are entitled to is £12.

You cannot make a claim if your employer gives you all the money back or an alternative.

For example, if they give you a laptop but you want a different make or model.

How can I get tax relief for working from home?

If you worked from home during the pandemic you may be able to claim tax relief.

The relief is available to anyone who worked from home for at least one day between April 6, 2020 and April 5, 2022.

To be eligible you must have incurred extra household costs, such as increased heating or electricity bills, because your employer required you to work from home due to:

• Coronavirus measures
• The closure of your usual workplace
• Being told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or
• Self-isolating because you were pinged by the NHS app

You cannot get the cash if the business stayed open and you were allowed to go into work but chose not to.

You cannot claim if your employer already paid your expenses, for example if they gave you £5 a week to cover the extra cost of working from home.

You can claim tax relief on £6 a week from the tax years that ran from April 6, 2020 to April 5, 2021 and April 6, 2021 to April 5, 2022.

If you are a basic rate taxpayer, the relief is worth 20%, which would give you £1.20 a week.

Over the course of a year this would add up to £62.40, or £124.80 for both tax years.

If you are a higher rate taxpayer then your relief would be worth 40% – or £2.40 a week.

This would give you £124.80 for one year or £249.60 for both tax years.

Meanwhile, if you are a top 45% taxpayer then your relief would be worth £2.70 a week, or £140.40 a year.

For both years you would get £280.80.

If the cost of working from home was higher than the weekly allowance then you can claim the exact cost back.

To do so you will need evidence such as receipts, bills or contracts.

Can I still claim the relief if I still work from home?

Since the pandemic the Government has tightened the rules around who can claim tax relief for working from home.

To be eligible now your job must require you to live far away from your office or your employer must not have an office.

You cannot claim tax relief if you choose to work from home.

This includes if your contract lets you work from home some or all of the time.

You are also not eligible if your employer has an office but you cannot use it sometimes because it is full.

You can still get tax relief on £6 a week or the exact amount you have spent.

How can I claim the relief?

You can check if you are eligible to claim a tax refund on the GOV.UK website.

You should always check if you are eligible before you make a claim as it could save you time and money.

Always make a claim directly to HMRC to make sure you can keep all the money you are owed.

You can complete the claim form on the GOV.UK website.

Do not get caught out by online adverts and tax refund companies who offer to make a claim for you.

These companies do this so they can claim a commission.

Be wary of firms promising you easy money that sounds too good to be true.

If you hand over personal information you could end up having to pay back the full amount of any invalid claim made on your behalf, including any commission an agent has taken.

For most expenses claims you need to provide supporting evidence to prove that you are eligible.

You do not need to do this if you are claiming for uniform, work clothing and tools.

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