AIBU London weighting

[Ewe202]

My firm has said that anyone who wants to work from home will have to have a change of contract and will lose their London weighting. Everyone seems to think LW is just travel costs but I need LW to be able to afford my mortgage. Price of houses is mad enough and we only just managed to get on the ladder. If I lose my LW I’m worried we’ll struggle to renew next year and will never be able to move up the ladder. My health has massively improved with wfh and even my boss says my work has been great over the pandemic. But I simply can’t afford to lose the LW. AIBU to be annoyed at people who just see it as covering travel costs?? It’s more to do with property and living costs as a whole bunch surely???

Why would anyone continue to stay in London…?

Tony Blair (and his successors) might have seen London only as a place to make money out of, but that doesn't change the fact that some people - many in fact - are actually from London (like it's current mayor, Sadiq Khan). And like people anywhere else they might want or need to stay near their families, communities, and support networks.

Just don't work from home then. Problem solved.

London Weighting is for living in London. YANBU!

Why not just work in the office? It's unlikely to be full time office working for a long time, if ever.

If you are working full time from home, it would seem rediculous to get a London weighting.

I think the loss of London Weighting for WFH is reasonable, provided the employer agreed to pay the "extra" costs of WFH such as (whole cost or a contribution to) phone, broadband, IT equipment, stationery, heating etc.

Can you claim something back on you tax for working from home or was that only for during lockdown? Might not be a lot if it’s possible - but may help.

Definitely propose hybrid working and keep the London weighting

It's disgraceful that they're aiming to do this with a few months notice - as if anyone can sell their property and magic enough money to move so quick !

And take their kids out of schools

And move their spouse who may need to continue to work in London

@LaurieFairyCake

Definitely propose hybrid working and keep the London weighting

It's disgraceful that they're aiming to do this with a few months notice - as if anyone can sell their property and magic enough money to move so quick !

And take their kids out of schools

And move their spouse who may need to continue to work in London

But she still has the option of going into the office. If she chooses to accept all the perks of WFH, then she also has to accept the downsides. Nobody is forcing her to move out of London, so I'm not sure what is so 'disgraceful'. She has options, which many people do not have.

It's disgraceful because of the short timescale

If doing it they should have a much longer lead time to rearrange your life if you need to

AIBU to be annoyed at people who just see it as covering travel costs?? It’s more to do with property and living costs as a whole bunch surely???

I think it depends on how much LW is for that specific role.

I know people who have relocated & earning less but have much higher disposable income

@LaurieFairyCake

It's disgraceful because of the short timescale

If doing it they should have a much longer lead time to rearrange your life if you need to

She doesn't have to 'rearrange her life' though.

She can continue working in the office, as she was contracted to do.

Well yeah that's literally what I've advised - to ask for hybrid working

There are possibly thousands of people who may be forced to lose their weighting because they close offices down - throwing a glut of properties onto the market, lowering house values and disrupting jobs and the economy

There won't be any housing 'surplus' in London. 165,000 people homeless in London. (And it costs the economy billions in expensive temporary accommodation.)

Not that you're right anyway. First, London isn't just a place for some people to make lots of money out of. Millions of people are actual Londoners. And lots want or need to stay near their families, communities, and support networks. Secondly, the billionaire investors will continue to buy up London homes, to leave empty all year round as investments.

Finally, the office based industries bring in many billions to the UK economy.

Well I'm an 'actual Londoner' since I live in zone 3

And I already know office rents are predicted to fall and there may be a glut of empty offices

@LaurieFairyCake

Well I'm an 'actual Londoner' since I live in zone 3

And I already know office rents are predicted to fall and there may be a glut of empty offices

If Sadiq Khan or any other London born Londoner moved to another part of the country they would be seen by the locals as 'London incomers'. It can't work one way only. London has locals too. And millions are there not for specific jobs but because of that - their links to family, communities, and support networks. They won't sell up and move just because of WFH.

London weighting is for WORKING in London not for living there. If you choose to go WFH permanently and can therefore live with the same expenses as the Leeds office, it’s not brief problem if you choose a more expensive mortgage.

Well, with those terms, you can reserve the right to live anywhere you like.

Office based industries are about way way more than commercial rents.

Dry cleaners, shoe shiners, sandwich and coffee shops, bars, taxis, buses and trains, office cleaners, postroom staff, maintenance. Just some of many examples of industries related to office based work.

PwC published a report last year estimating that the office based economy is worth several hundred billion to the national economy. It contributes hugely to the funding of the public services that we all use, enjoy, and need.

You can’t WFH and retain London weighting. You no longer have that raft of costs associated with London and working in a city, the travel, the cost of food, socialising costs,you’re not required to buy as many work clothes, less dry cleaning,etc

London weighting is the premium employers paid to ameliorate the arse ache of working in London, an incentive to make folk come to London. Now that you’re not in London there’s no compulsion for your employer to retain that salary perk

an incentive to make folk come to London

It was as much to retain Londoners. An incentive for them not to move away from home.

@tealightsandd
Yes true. And parts of Cheshire and North Yorkshire. Rishi Sunak's constituency, for example, is more expensive to buy in than some London boroughs.

Really? I haven't kept abreast of London housing prices since I left in 2004, but I now live in Rishi Sunak's constituency in North Yorkshire. In February 2020, I bought a house in Central Richmond, 5 double beds (4 of which en suite), 2 reception rooms, family bathroom, wet room, 22ft kitchen plus utility room, private car parking for 3 cars, and 0.2 miles from an excellent state secondary school. £312,000
Which London borough offers cheaper than that for similar?

Sorry yes you're right. More accurately to speak of the difference in deprivation. Richmond North Yorkshire is an affluent area. Particularly compared to the most overcrowded part of the UK - the London borough of Newham.

The London weighting is an incentive & retainer. It’s financial remuneration for being in Ldn
If you’re in Home Counties it’s the extra salary to commute and work in Ldn
If you’re already in Ldn it’s a retainer
Either way,the clue is the term London weighting. Because of the London contact and higher costs.if you’re not in ldn yip can’t get a London weighting

@EspressoDoubleShot

The London weighting is an incentive & retainer. It’s financial remuneration for being in Ldn If you’re in Home Counties it’s the extra salary to commute and work in Ldn If you’re already in Ldn it’s a retainer Either way,the clue is the term London weighting. Because of the London contact and higher costs.if you’re not in ldn yip can’t get a London weighting

Yes this.