HMRC has stated that, employees who are working from home will need to make new claims for tax relief for the 2021/22 tax year.
Employers have been able to pay employees up to £6 a week tax-free from 6 April 2020, to cover additional costs if they have had to work from home.
Employees who have not received the working from home expenses payment direct from their employer can apply to receive the tax relief from HMRC.
HMRC has also confirmed that even if an employee splits their time between home and the office, the £6 per week payment is available in full.
The allowance is to cover tax-deductible additional costs that employees who are required to work from home have incurred, such as heating and lighting the workroom, and business telephone calls.
Last year an online portal was launched that allows employees to claim tax relief for working at home. The portal was set up to process tax relief on additional expenses for employed workers who have been told to work from home by their employer during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The portal can be found at www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home.
“It is important that people who are working from home understand how to make the new claims so that they don’t miss out on the available tax relief.”
Nigel Holland
