£6 tax relief per week for home working costs - a pittance?

[suggestionsplease1]

I'm just trying to get my head around this - so if you're forced into home working due to Covid you can claim tax relief on £6/week for additional expenses due to extra heating/ electricity use....so for a 20% tax payer that amounts to getting back £1.20 per week?!

My additional expenditure on gas/electric due to Covid will far exceed that, as I imagine most people's will....is this not a bit of a cop out?!

There seems to be something about employers can make this additional £6 payment per week to staff as well - that hasn't happened for us - is it really happening for employees elsewhere?

Finally, I'm going to try to put in more accurate figures as I have to fill in self assessments anyway, but I am hampered by the fact that I don't have a smart meter. I thought one way to do it would be to compare a previous year's expenditure when I wasn't working from home with the present year's expenditure - would that be acceptable as proof of additional costs do you think? (I know there's only going to be about 6/7 weeks worth of homeworking to account for for this self assessment but it will be more relevant for next years 31st Jan deadline.)

[RedskyBynight]

@Redrivershore

It's most likely better paid people that are saving on commutes, special work clothes and expensive lunches, the lower paid are likely just having to pay out more in energy costs for the privilege of working at home and not making any savings elsewhere.

Yes exactly. And it's also more likely to be the lower paid people that don't really have a proper working space and are working in cramped and less than ideal working conditions. And are expected to pay for the "privilege" of doing so.
It's definitely the flip side of the wfh coin - not everyone thinks it is marvellous!

[Kazzyhoward]

@Serin

The MPs awarded themselves £10k each for working from home costs. Only one (Jeremy Corbyn) declined it.

No they didn't. They were allowed to claim upto £10k (with recepts) for additional costs of themselves and their assistants to enable them to work from home, so to pay for things like a laptop, printer, desk, chair, etc for their staff.

[hellejuice91]

It isn't much, but it is something, far better than a kick in the teeth.

I am saving £150 in commuting costs each month, another £50 on lunch and more on other things such as tights, work drinks etc etc

To be fair though we always had the heating come on twice a day even when working in the winter and this hasn't changed since being at home. Maybe a bit more gas used for the hob, and certainly more electricity but then we aren't paying to eat out.