If you work from home even occasionally because your employer requires it, you may be entitled to tax relief. Millions of people qualify but don't claim.
Who Qualifies?
You can claim if your employer requires you to work from home, even part of the time. This includes hybrid workers who must work from home on certain days, full-time remote workers, and anyone whose contract specifies home working. You can't claim if you simply choose to work from home when an office is available.
The Simple Claim: £6/Week
The easiest method is to claim the flat rate of £6 per week (£312/year) without any receipts. A basic rate taxpayer saves £62.40/year. A higher rate taxpayer saves £124.80/year. You can claim through the HMRC online portal in about 5 minutes.
The Bigger Claim: Actual Costs
If your actual costs are higher than £6/week, you can claim the business proportion of your heating and electricity, council tax, broadband and phone, and rent or mortgage interest. You need to calculate the proportion of your home used for work and the proportion of time. This requires more records but can yield a bigger deduction.
Backdating Your Claim
You can backdate claims for up to 4 years. If you've been working from home since 2022 and never claimed, you could be owed up to £500 in tax relief.
How to Claim
For the flat rate £6/week, go to the HMRC online tool for claiming employment expenses — it takes about 5 minutes. Your tax code will be adjusted so you pay less tax going forward. For actual costs, you'll need to file a Self Assessment tax return or use form P87.
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