Home based workers allowances

[CMOTDibbler]

Just wondering if other employed, home based, workers could tell me what they get in terms of allowances/provided services.

I'm been homebased, full time since 2007, moving from an office based role in the same company.

At that time, we got an annual lump sum to pay for heating costs etc, plus a centrally billed phone line and broadband.

In Feb we moved to a monthly allowance - £13 tax free, plus £74.50 which you pay tax and NI on.

This morning, all home based workers were told that they will no longer pay for the phone line and broadband and it will have to be paid personally from the allowance.

In my role I need to download large amounts of data and do video conferences, webinars etc, so need unlimited broadband - which will come in at £36 a month even before all the international calls I need to make.

This doesn't seem very fair - does anyone have any experience to share ? Or is this arrangement normal ?

Depends, its likely that they've been told the phone line and broadband are perks so you should pay Nat Ins/NI on them.

To be fair that does sound generous, most people are happy to work from home without the extra pay - just think how much you save in commuting, lunches, work wear etc.

I work from home and get no allowance whatsoever. The company considers I'm saving money by not commuting

I have unlimited broadband through sky and it's nowhere near £36 a month! I think you need to shop around, I pay about £10 I think!

we too have sky unlimited broadband for about 7.50/month & unlimited calls including 20 international destinations for £5/mth. don't know if this is just for personal use though?