Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my work to pay for broadband and other wfh expenses?

442 replies

Zazzii · 17/03/2021 12:26

Since last March like many of us I have been working from home - I have a work laptop and phone and use our spare room. I had always worked the odd day at home when it was convenient for wating in for deliveries/ appointments etc but only once or twice a month. I, and line manager etc, were happy with this but it was seen as a bit of a perk

Now that working from home is established as the 'new normal' is it wrong for me to expect my employer to cover my broadband costs? They dont seem inclined to give us anything telling us that as we have it already there is no increased costs for us of using it for an additional 7 hours a day.

It is vital for the business that we are connected therefore the cost should be met by the business. Plans from teh summer are for us to continue working from home at least for part of the week so it will be long term.

I undertsand that they dont want to get involved in discussions about individual broadband contracts etc but a standard amount for all staff - say £30 a month?, £40?- should be part of our expenses claim. Or do I need to accept it as part of the new way of working?

Then there are other expenses which I have incurred over the past year - bigger things like the heating and electricity during the day but also small things like the coffee, tea and other refreshments I would normally expect to have at work which I have had to pay for.

I havent reduced any costs in other areas - my commute is 2 miles by bike so negilible cost and time saving.

Am I being unreasonable? Would it be unreasonable to try and rally my fellow workers to ask for this?

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 18/03/2021 16:28

I paid for a new desk and chair to work from home, and hoping that it will continue forever as I don't want to go back into the office ever. Happy to accept the slightly higher electricity bills for it, although to be honest we've not noticed much of a difference.

But why should you have to pay for your own desk and chair? I bought a desk and billed it to work as I was fed up with not being able to use my dining table. I'm still sitting on a dining chair as I don't have room for a proper office chair (and don't want wheels ruining my flooring) but that's my choice. We were allowed to bring our chairs home but it won't fit in my car so that's another reason not to bother.

I'm waiting to find out what happens with the desk as anything we've billed the company for belongs to them (obviously) and so if I go back to the office they are entitled to take the desk back. If they want it that badly they'll have to arrange collection as it certainly won't go in my car!

DGRossetti · 18/03/2021 16:35

@Happinessisawarmcervix

20 minutes a day. How much is that worth?
If you're doing something for the T&T system, about £15,000
Happinessisawarmcervix · 18/03/2021 16:45

Indeed! But for NMW, maybe a couple of quid?

DGRossetti · 18/03/2021 16:56

@Happinessisawarmcervix

Indeed! But for NMW, maybe a couple of quid?
Depends on your point of view, if not philosophy, really. For me, it's all about how much that time is worth to me, not the company. Which completely redefines mathematics. You go from a 3 hour a day commute (so that's 15 hours in a 5 day week) that you have to pay yourself out of your wages for, to 15 hours a week that (for me) are priceless time spent with the family. (Although as they say in life, "your mileage may vary")

Reversing the view, some employers might view changing an office based worked to WFH as giving them a pay rise too.

As with everything in life, there's a balance to be had. Anyone who doesn't take material facts into consideration is a fool. However, there is a level of discretion (read: intelligence) over how far down the line you go.

On a much much broader scale, a massive uptick in the army of people WFH must already have some in government salivating at the prospect of being able to slash the care budget even further. Because I can tell you now that if someone has mentioned it to DW ("Oh, so good for you to have your DH at home, must have saved on carers") then it's already well up the grapevine at Tory towers.

ginghamstarfish · 18/03/2021 17:18

I do think companies should provide an allowance. They are saving on heating, lighting, maintenance, cleaning etc, if not on rent, while many employees are out of pocket so it's clearly unfair. DH had to buy a new monitor, keyboard, desk, office chair, and we had to upgrade our broadband as it couldn't cope. We have to have the heating on all the time as he feels the cold, and while there is some saving in petrol costs it is way less than we spend now on enabling him to WFH.

Sostenueto · 18/03/2021 17:27

You aren't paying anything to get to work yet u want your broadband paid. Talk about have your cake and eat it! You have a job sitting at home in safety. My DD works as a carer has to pay bus fares and wear and tear on her bicycle to go to and from work. She's on minimum wage and on the Frontline. I'm sure she would love to have her broadband paid for her if she could actually afford to have broadband.
Get over yourself take take take. People by the thousands losing their jobs and u want more perks. Pfffft!

DGRossetti · 18/03/2021 17:30

We have to have the heating on all the time as he feels the cold

It's possible to heat one room at a time. We have a life saving SuperSer ...

munchkinman · 18/03/2021 17:37

No I work in IT and get asked this all the time. Why should work pay for your broadband? Use an Ethernet cable to improve performance, ask your broadband provider for a free booster or you can even get somebody in to check it. We have had all sorts of stupid queries like a new floor, conservatory blinds, home office in the garden etc etc.

Tessabelle1 · 18/03/2021 17:42

I'm pretty sure the money you're saving on your fuel/bus ticket/train ticket is more than covering your broadband which I doubt very much you only had installed to wfh and only use for work Hmm

changi · 18/03/2021 17:46

I'm pretty sure the money you're saving on your fuel/bus ticket/train ticket is more than covering your broadband which I doubt very much you only had installed to wfh and only use for work

You aren't paying anything to get to work yet u want your broadband paid.

The OP isn't paying anything to get work even when she is working at work. She cycles to work. It says that in her first post.

SimonJT · 18/03/2021 17:48

@Tessabelle1

I'm pretty sure the money you're saving on your fuel/bus ticket/train ticket is more than covering your broadband which I doubt very much you only had installed to wfh and only use for work Hmm
£0 spent on petrol. £0 spent on the bus/train.

Broadband had to be upgraded to enable me to work from home, upgrades are not free.

FredtheCatsMum · 18/03/2021 17:49

Its fascinating how varied the experience is. Whenever I've been in a permanent role, I've had a laptop provided - last 20 years or so anyway - and had free tea and coffee. But clearly that's not even a common experience.

I wouldn't expect my employer to pay for my broadband though, or my heating / electric. I do know people working for consulting firms who have had whole office setups installed and paid for by the company - desk, chair etc, and a good allowance for utilities.

BadFoot1 · 18/03/2021 17:50

You are saving by not cycling. Wear and tear on the bike, inner tubes, etc. Plus your saving time. Broadband isn't costing you anything.

Elle2018 · 18/03/2021 17:52

@Crazycrazylady

Honestly .. how stingy do you sound. You clearly had broadband already so you have sustained no extra cost and as for tea/coffee expenses ... I have no words...
This. You sound really grabby.
Lorw · 18/03/2021 17:56

I’ve worked from home even before COVID. I don’t expect work to pay for anything, they pay for my computer and supplies and that is it. What I save on time/money commuting and coffees/lunches etc I use for my broadband and heating.

NespressoNutellaNow · 18/03/2021 17:58

Are you for real?

Eowyn78 · 18/03/2021 18:01

I claimed the tax last year, but I think I only got £26 for about 5 months working from home, if that.
I have mixed feelings about employers paying towards home broadband costs. I have to use BT at home as I live in a new build home and they charge a lot for Broadband. My employer is just taking advantage of the fact I happen to have broadband anyway and it's no extra cost to them.
However, I am saving a lot in petrol and car parking costs.
My electricity and gas bills have gone up over the last few months as I have been WFH and the tax relief doesn't really cover the higher costs.
It looks like a lot of businesses may agree for people to WFH in the future, as it will save the businesses a lot of money in the long run, especially in office rental costs etc. If this is the case, I think businesses should pay a little more in expenses towards utility costs at home. After all the businesses will be saving so much more money in the long run if most of their work force is working from home.

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 18/03/2021 18:02

Most companies aren't and there are lots if people looking for work so they will just get others in
You can Claim £6 tax relief on goverment site

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 18/03/2021 18:04

Also my dh company said as people are now saving commuting costs etc one outweighs the other

HarryGa · 18/03/2021 18:09

Just be grateful you have a job.

janice511 · 18/03/2021 18:13

My company paid for tea, coffee and milk, including de caf coffee
We had a free hot drink machine which did fancy coffees as well as tea, coffee, hot chocolate and soup.
Was I just lucky?

TheKeatingFive · 18/03/2021 18:15

Was I just lucky?

Well it’s not standard, no. Wink

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 18/03/2021 18:17

I'm amazed that people are having to use their own laptops, even more so that some people have had to buy them. Surely it's in the company's interests to supply computer equipment. Aside from that there's no way I'd want work on my personal computer - can the company access it remotely?

notacooldad · 18/03/2021 18:25

I think my close friend has the best WFH arrangement p.
He know longer has to leave his house at 0500 hrs to get to work for 8.00. He can log on any time as long as he does his hours., a lot of people are benefitting from the no commute.
However his company decide staff morale needs lifting so they get Friday afternoon off and instead of work they have an on line event.His company have sent the employees involved out different things each week. They get a parcel rhutsday evening or Friday morning. They have had a craft ale tasting, a cheese tasting, they have had shows put on. It's all been quite Uplifting! No wonder he is pleased he left his LA job.

I just to get to sit on my sette with Spotify on in the background!

Smileyk · 18/03/2021 18:28

I'm saving around £200 a month on fuel and pay for broadband for home anyway.
Heating isn't generally on during the day (only on the coldest days). I bought dual monitors, a docking station and last week a new chair but as they are all things I use for my hobbies and I would have got them eventually anyway, I didn't bother claiming it back (besides if I did then it would technically belong to the company).
My setup is great and I'm comfy - good enough for me. :)