To wonder about the heating bills for WFH?

[CheetasOnFajitas]

It’s occurred to me, now that colder weather has set in and it looks like those who can do so will be WFH for the next 6 months- the heating bills are going to be through the roof!

Has anyone’s employer acknowledged that home-based employees are going to have to bear this cost? I know for some it will be offset by no commuting costs, but not for all: my husband and I cycle to work normally.

I do acknowledge that I am personally lucky to (a) have a job that can be done from home and (b) have a job at all.

[CheetasOnFajitas]

@yolio

Just saying, those of you who HAVE to WFH have a point. But seems to me that most people WANT to WFH now having seen so many benefits.

If you don't like WFH well you must commute and go to work. The issue is if you are TOLD to WFH. There is a difference.

Where I live there is tax relief given for WFH. I guess that is not available in UK.

UK govt has said this week that anyone who can work from home must do so. In general it is the employer who decides whether staff can work from home, with the base assumption that they will facilitate this if at all possible in order to assist the efforts to combat Covid. So at the moment employees in the U.K. are not really able to exercise a choice and are indeed being told to WFH.

I appreciate that

[whirlwindwallaby]

Our house doesn't get that cold in the daytime, we put heating on for an hour in the morning before we get up, then in the evening (not on yet, I mean in October onwards). Weekends if we are home it really doesn't drop too low, plus you would be getting up and walking around to make a coffee, lunch and so on. Would it cost a lot to keep it up to 16 or so?

[WaxOnFeckOff]

My office is still closed so I either WFH or resign.

[Smallereveryday]

@HariboLectar

I know it's only a small amount but you can claim back some money
www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home

Apologies if you're already aware.

Thanks for the link. Just put in my claim. Really easy !

[BrazenlyDefying]

But there are lots of savings associated with working at home too. Commuting for most people will cost more than sticking the heating on.

[CheetasOnFajitas]

You beat me to it Waxonfeckoff re the subsidised canteen/overall benefits package. People are talking line I have a trust fund or win the lottery or something! I work in return for this benefit and I am now doing the same work, but no longer get many of these benefits. Yes, blitz spirit and all that but my sector is not doing badly at all and profits still very healthy...

[cuppycakey]

I claim the £6 a week tax relief, and am saving way more than that in petrol.

Plus I intend to layer up and use all those jumpers I usually only wear on winter city breaks I also have thermals somewhere......

I do agree with PP though, once your fingers are cold, you have to turn the heating on.

[Toomanycats99]

I work in a loft room so have a little oil filled radiator I use. I have house heating on very low and top it up with that. Radiator was only about £20 to buy I think.

I have a nice fleecy top and slipper boots as well.

[CheetasOnFajitas]

@BrazenlyDefying

But there are lots of savings associated with working at home too. Commuting for most people will cost more than sticking the heating on.

But employers should not just assume this is the cae for everyone. It is not for me, as I said in the OP.

[Aworldofmyown]

My partners employer has been commenting on the money saved on paper, offices, stationary etc etc
Yes, your saving it because your employees are now paying for it. 🙄

[CheetasOnFajitas]

Thanks @BoomBoomsCousin

[KeepingPlain]

I'd rather be working from home so don't care about the additional bills to be honest. Don't see why your employer or government should be paying that either.

[Ineedflour]

@doodleygirl

I don’t normally comment on this type of thread but it has made me so mad. I’ve just been listening to a radio programme where some people don’t even know how they are going to put food on the table, let alone pay bills.

OP take your head out of your orifices and think about the absolute living hell some people are going through whilst you are cocooned in a little world of fairy dust. Put a sweater on, wear a hat, have a hot drink or do any number of things to keep warm.

This.

[abricotine]

If you’re claiming a contribution to your heating costs from the taxpayer hope you will be deducting the wear and tear and bike maintenance costs you are saving yourself

[CheetasOnFajitas]

@KeepingPlain

I'd rather be working from home so don't care about the additional bills to be honest. Don't see why your employer or government should be paying that either.

Employer- because I agreed my salary based on certain assumptions about what it would cost me to do my job. That has now changed and my employer is benefitting by not having to heat the office or pay the catering company. I am, however, now bearing those costs. Why should I?

[cuppycakey]

Oh! and I work somewhere with FREE drinks and snacks

[OhTheRoses]

I go in 2 days a week. WFH 3 days. Since June.

Probably saving £15 pw in petrol. Not furloughed on 80%, not unemployed and 9n nothing. In both cases I'd be at home all day.

Yes, the heating will be on. Probably at its usual 17° and I'll use a plug in radiator. Heating is kept ticking over 24/7 anyway - largely for the elderly cat.

It's swings and roundabouts and I think one should be glad to be wfh with the heating on rather than unemployed and at home and with no money for the heating.

Also I haven't bought a single item of clothing since lockdown and wpuld otherwise have spent at least a couple of hundred over summer.

[Benjispruce2]

School hearing bills too! We have to keep windows and doors open all year round now. Order your DC thermals before they sell out!!

[Benjispruce2]

Not hearing obvs.

[Charleyhorses]

Tbh we are saving over 1000 per month on commuting over the winter and I am grateful to be able to have the temperature I want and open a blinking window!

[Sciurus83]

Hi OP, Civil service here, it's something that has been discussed. Pre-pandemic people registered as WFH (quite a lot in my department as we are an arms length body that the type of work does need people rurally based) could claim expenses for things like heating, i think it is around the £6 a week mentioned before. There is discussion about what happens now everyone is WFH. Personally while I would be very grateful for this as a more senior staff member this extra expense won't cripple me. But i am very concerned for other staff who this will be really significant for. We are one of the lowest paid departments, some people with professional positions are genuinely struggling. As much as I would like to see a blanket application of the policy to make it fair as per those already working at home pre-covid if we can't afford that (likely) then a means tested approach would be a good way forward.

[Sciurus83]

And I caveat all of that with the fact that I am very grateful to have a job, I hope that doesn't need to be said

[PegasusReturns]

No one should feel grateful that they are subsidising their employers.

My company have been giving a stipend for WiFi since the lock down started and have now extended that to cover heating etc.

Everyone who needed were sent desks/chairs/monitors/printers/shredders etc and we expense anything else we need (ink/paper/pens etc)

[CheetasOnFajitas]

@Sciurus83 to be honest I am in the same position as you in that I can afford to pay the extra. But I line-manage a team, some of whom will struggle. I really do not want to be seeing them draped in electric blankets and wearing fingerless gloves.

[Teateaandmoretea]

I am 🤦🏻‍♀️ by this being the most of people’s problems right now in all this utter shit show.

If you have a white collar wfh job you are so lucky. For the majority of people not having to wear smart clothes for work/ travel expenses/ office present contributions they will be better off.

I’m sure someone will be along a minute to say they earn 16k, work next door where they are provided with uniform, live hand to mouth and have a payg meter that costs a fortune. In which case I have sympathy but if this isn’t you take a look in the mirror