To think that working from home will increase gas usage and possibly prices.

[Jobseeker19]

Since before, people would be using the communal heat at work but now they will be heating individual homes instead.

Absolutely. I’m currently seriously considering buying a heated throw to snuggle under while I work so I don’t have to have the heating on all day. It’s a genuine concern.

Yes. If you're work from home due to the pandemic I think you can claim a tiny bit of tax back due to this but can't remember how.

@OhThatChicken I have one and it’s a godsend. The room I work in at home is at the back of the house and gets really cold. It takes just a few minutes to heat up and is machine washable.

@SmileySandwich you just go into the HMRC website and it takes 2 minutes.

You can claim some tax back if you are working from home:

www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home

However I am saving £££s in diesel. I am perm work from home now after a contract change, I have a desk available to me in the office once a week - but not forced to use it, so I only HAVE to drive 20-30 miles a week (3 days school runs) instead of 50-60 miles a day, plus travel to suppliers.

I am swapping the diesel for an electric car now

@ BashfulClam @CovidinPrimary thank you!

Our heating and electric bills usage is about a third more now - which makes sense, we're in the house about a third more now working from home! The tax relief doesn't even really make a dent, but I claim it because every little helps!

YABU and this a deflection from a fuel crisis and fuel poverty and poor housing stock which is the real problem to solve. Yes possibly winter WFH will increase energy demand (although a lot of people don’t or can’t WFH) but in summer WFH does not involve running massive air con units all day as is necessary on massive office blocks.

The problem we have is a poorly managed national energy system, if the system is that fragile that it can’t cope with more people putting on their heating in the day. That’s what the Boris Johnson and the rest of government will need to sort out urgently.

There’s loads of environmental benefits to WFH and public health benefits over the pandemic have been pointed out by scientists and it allows more flexibility for workers who want it and can do it. so it needs to become a very normal and widespread option.
The focus needs to be on resolving the energy crisis which affects us all wherever we work or don’t work. If you care about having a secure energy network, which we all need, write to your local MP and tell them they need to solve this issue, for the benefit of everyone in the local area and the country. The home workers I know will be shivering at home just like everyone else because they’re worried about the cost of putting on the heating in their home.

@BashfulClam @CovidinPrimary

Thanks for the reminder to claim the tax refund. Took less than a minute!

Even with the extra heating costs, I will still save money due to not having to pay petrol travelling to and from work 5 days instead of 1 or 2 each week.

We save £220 a month by not travelling. Also DH now makes his lunch which he never does if working.

I know very few people who put the heating on in the day. Admittedly it doesn’t really get cold down here.

Last Jan and Feb I did have a blanket and slipper boots on.