[Closed] Wife's employer no longer supplying comms for home based role

I work for an internet security company from home and they've never provided home broadband.

It's seen as something everyone has these days anyway so why should they give it you.

Tether her Blackberry and use that for internet use? It's what I often do at home/travelling as our laptops are rubbish at connecting to wifi!

That said... I imagine you'd have broadband anyway? Whilst it's a bit petty of them it's not really the end of the world is it. Plenty are unlimited anyway, so the actual amount of use isn't an issue, particularly as one assumes she's doing emails etc, rather than downloading HD films all day...?

Does she work solely from home?

I know with my job if I choose to work from home it is on my own Internet connection not subsidised by the company. I do however have a desk in an office and access to the Internet there.

I work for one of the largest Telecomms companies on the planet, we have to pay for our own BB.

I save more in fuel costs from not having to drive to the office than I spend on BB.

It seems rather harsh but that's possibly old thinking - when working from home you don't expect your water and heating bills to be paid for and nowadays, BB is probably a service just the same.

I know with my job if I choose to work from home it is on my own Internet connection not subsidised by the company. I do however have a desk in an office and access to the Internet there.

+1

I save more in fuel costs from not having to drive to the office than I spend on BB.

+1 to that too

When I work from home I always poo in a bucket which I keep and take in to the office for my monthly visit. Saves using my own water to flush it.

If you've already got it, id take it on the chin. Its got to be better than doing the daily commute?

It sounds a bit like a perk that's been taken away. Presumably you'd be paying for your own internet and phone for your own use anyway if it wasn't provided for free? It doesn't cost any extra unless she needs a really fast connection.

I can understand you being a bit miffed. If I didn't need broadband for working from home, then I wouldn't bother with it. I can't see me, the missus, or the kids having any use for it at all. I'm sure you're the same. So why should you have to pay for it? Its really, really expensive too nowadays.

Seems pretty unfair to me. I'd kick off then leave.

I save more in fuel costs from not having to drive to the office than I spend on BB.

This. It's time and cost beneficial for me personally to work from home. Though I do have office available if I choose to, which I don't unless have to. Work supply me with a mobile phone an laptop, the rest is up to me.

You could make a big fuss of it, but really would you cut yourself off if they weren't paying for it?

Anyway, at least she'll be able to off-set the cost against her income tax - P87 if you can be bothered.

My wife works from home some days: company supplies the laptop and BlackBerry, we provide the broadband. Tbh thought that was the norm and never considered company would pay

I save more in fuel costs from not having to drive to the office than I spend on BB.

^ this. One peak return rail ticket to my wifes office is more than we sprnd on broadband in a month

Anyway, at least she'll be able to off-set the cost against her income tax - P87 if you can be bothered.

Not if you use your broadband for private use too.

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

My wife works for a rather large media owner [b]in a home based role[/b]

I think this is the pertinent bit, she's not choosing to work at home, so costs saved by not going into the office etc are a bit irrelevant. I know our home based people (big insurance company) do get a contribution to their broadband etc, and even printers and ink and stuff like that. Obviously if I just choose to work from home then I don't get any of that.

Still think you'd be paying it anyway though, so it's a bit of a pain rather than anything else!

Think it might be something to do with new inland revenue rules. We used to get our broadband paid for but it stopped last year.

I presume you would have internet access anyway so hardly a big deal.

I think this is the pertinent bit, she's not choosing to work at home, so costs saved by not going into the office etc are a bit irrelevant. I know our home based people (big insurance company) do get a contribution to their broadband etc, and even printers and ink and stuff like that. Obviously if I just choose to work from home then I don't get any of that.

Works great right up until she causes a fuss and they say

"ok, your home based role is now office based"...

Enjoy that 🙂

Can't she connect the lappy to the blackberry and use the 3G thingy connection?
That's what I'd do (if I knew how to do it, or if it could be done)

One issue to consider is the quality of the connection. I had a business broadband connection provided by my employer a few years ago. When it went tits up, the response was commensurate with the amount being paid for it - it got fixed quicker.

Other than that what they said ^

Its really down to why she works from home.
If her employer has offered homeworking as part of office/desk reduction programme then they are making big savings in having her work from home. So being a bit cheeky.
If she works from home to save on commuting, but still has a desk, then you are still on the up.

My wife has a home-based role, she uses our broadband.

Should the company also supply the leccy for the laptop as well? It seems fair enough.

The role is home based because the office is in London and the clients my wife is responsible for are in the North of England (as are we). They did actually provide a subsidy for energy bills too, recognising that we incur additional costs from her being at home for the majority of the day but this stopped some time ago.

Its not a big issue at all,I'm just surprised that what I see as tools required to do the job are no longer being provided on the assumption that we can already have them ourselves. As someone pointed out earlier maybe its an old fashioned point of view from when we were not so well connected with cheap unlimited broadband etc...

My employer used to supply/pay for a business landline/broadband (it was in my contract) until about a year ago, now I'm expected to use my own

If she needed an expensive business line for her work I would understand but if all is required is a cheap home broadband line then who cares?

I work for the government, they install a line for homeworkers as part of our security paranoia. Wife works for local authority, has access to far more sensitive data than I would, she happily uses our own internet/WiFi.

I'm a telecoms worker and for the past 10 years I've always had my phone and broadband paid for. That said I've always had a car/van and pay very little towards it.

Hang on minute? You're in the north? I see your problem then. When I work for clients in London, it costs me a bloody fortune in carrier pigeons!! The sooner we get that electrickery stuff up here the better!!!

http://www.shoosmiths.co.uk/client-resources/legal-updates/when-does-custom-practice-create-legal-entitlement-employment-benefits-5896.aspx

Can't she visit the Office monthly and steal something to the value of the monthly BB bill? You could then sell said item on Ebay or give it away as a gift.

Sounds like a matter for the union. Is she in one?

[i]"ok, your home based role is now office based"...[/i]

Or you're now home based, with no role 🙂

As per @weeksy's post a good mate of mine has worked from home for 10 years, same deal - he pays for internet access but saves a fortune in money, time and hassle in not commuting to an office.

OP sounds like the company is trying to cut costs, they are entitled to. Your wife should claim all her phone calls though.

Years ago at a firm I worked for the FD said that we shouldn't be paying for home internet connections (even where we needed it) as HMRC could see it as BIK.

yet if you were self employed working from home you'd be entitled to offset energy bills and other costs directly related to your work against tax?

My missus pays for the broadband and I have a fuel card. WIll I die?

By working at home your wife is incurring costs that would otherwise be met by the company, heating, lighting, office space, telephone and broadband. As has been stated many times you would have to have all of these things with the possible exception of an office space at home anyway but you are going to be either using more units (heating, lighting) or need to be on a tariff that allows for greater usage (telephone, broadband) than you would otherwise need for normal domestic use. As your wife is employed to work from home for this role the benefit of not incurring travel costs is irrelevant.

Whether you make a fuss all depends on the existing salary and how much the additional costs work out to be compared with the salary to be gained from alternative employment in your local area. If your wife is drawing a city centre salary but you're living in a cheaper part of the country then you may still be quids in.

Sounds like a matter for the union.

For what it's worth I think their change is reasonable, frustrating yes, but reasonable. I think it's only reasonable for them to foot the bill for things where there is an additional cost to you having them to do your job, these days broadband is not one of those things as it is reasonable to expect people will have this in their home anyway, just like I wouldn't expect them to contribute towards a chair or table for her to sit at.

change in policy affecting all workers in same position

collective representation

contacting the union doesn't automatically mean being antagonistic BTW, you should not read it as such

change in policy affecting all workers in same position

collective representation

contacting the union doesn't automatically mean being antagonistic BTW, you should not read it as such

I used to a couple of jobs ago (talking 5+ years back). It's expected now that you'll have it anyway.

If having a connection all day was critical to me getting my job done I'd be looking at business-class internet and getting the company to pay the extra.

doug - depends entirely on the established relationship between union reps and management

pointless discussion though tbh

doug - depends entirely on the established relationship between union reps and management

pointless discussion though tbh

Years ago at a firm I worked for the FD said that we shouldn't be paying for home internet connections (even where we needed it) as HMRC could see it as BIK

It's not wrong to have benefits in kind; you just have to pay tax on them. The employer would provide a P11D for benefits in kind and the FD of the firm you worked for should be well aware of that.

Did your wife previously expense the service items that were registered in her/your name? Not read the thread thoroughly so forgive me if I have missed this.

If not this might have more to do with HMRC than her employer. I've had the same issue with my company whereby I can no longer expense any service I use at home in support of work if that service is not in my employers name. In order to make it expensable, my employer would have to put their name on the bill for my landline/internet connection.

Shit! Its all going off! Scargill stylee

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What's it say they'll provide in her contract? Is it a contractual change?

I see your problem then. When I work for clients in London, it costs me a bloody fortune in carrier pigeons!!

[url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers ]RFC 1149[/url].

Previous gig, all phone calls and internet covered. Current gig, nothing and (provided own PC - which was sat there doing nothing in any case). The firm saves a shedload by you not working in an office too btw, it's not entirely one-sided.

Log her time on the internet for work, pro rata that time against your bill, pop it into her expenses. Just because you have it doesn't mean you should give it away for free.

Years ago at a firm I worked for the FD said that we shouldn't be paying for home internet connections (even where we needed it) as HMRC could see it as BIK.

This - I work for a very large multinational and we've gone to this model. Essentially its too difficult to define the benefit of paying for the line, so its just assumed now you supply it. Phone calls on mobile or over VPN don't cost me anything. We used to have to provide a seperate busines line, with its own ADSL which was just nuts.

Not being funny but if the job conditions are reasonable otherwise I'd hardly see it as something to strike about.

binners - Member
I can understand you being a bit miffed. If I didn't need broadband for working from home, then I wouldn't bother with it. I can't see me, the missus, or the kids having any use for it at all. I'm sure you're the same. So why should you have to pay for it? Its really, really expensive too nowadays.

Seems pretty unfair to me. I'd kick off then leave.

[i]yet if you were self employed working from home you'd be entitled to offset energy bills and other costs directly related to your work against tax? [/i]

Urban myth. We were advised a few years ago by our Accountancy Co. that anything more than £1 per week would be seen 'badly' by HMRC.

[i]It's not wrong to have benefits in kind; you just have to pay tax on them. The employer would provide a P11D for benefits in kind and the FD of the firm you worked for should be well aware of that. [/i]

Of course he was, and didn't want us to waste company time with it. So I just gave a bit extra at the annual review to all affected. Far better, and pensionable 🙂

Even HMRCs own examples talk about more than £1 per week as a small amount and not needing further enquiries.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim47825.htm

Edit: nice and easy guideline:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim75010.htm

I think the recommended wfh allowance is a couple of hundred a year.

Our accountant told us to take it.

There's a fixed amount from HMRC for working at home to cover utilities etc.

£3/week IIRC - so £1.20 if on higher rate

Saying that, I'm on the same gig now so just tether my phone

It's not wrong to have benefits in kind; you just have to pay tax on them. The employer would provide a P11D for benefits in kind and the FD of the firm you worked for should be well aware of that.

There's a fixed amount from HMRC for working at home to cover utilities etc.

Urban myth. We were advised a few years ago by our Accountancy Co. that anything more than £1 per week would be seen 'badly' by HMRC.

There's a fixed amount from HMRC for working at home to cover utilities etc.

ninfans link to the HMRC's own website seems to contradict that and this
Urban myth. We were advised a few years ago by our Accountancy Co. that anything more than £1 per week would be seen 'badly' by HMRC.

Now £4 according to this, it was £3 last time I claimed it

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim32815.htm

Now £4 according to this, it was £3 last time I claimed it

Never mind the Internet, I work from home (I supply the broadband) and I'm missing out big time over my office colleagues in London.

What about the biscuits!?!

They're free to all in our office... It's like a biscuit nirvana. Yet I don't get a biscuit subsidy for working at home. I need to get my voice heard and get representation from the top to fight for my right for biscuits. I'm going to tweet Mr Farage

I work fully remote, and the company pay for laptop, monitor, desk, chair, and co-working space if I want to work somewhere else for a change.

They don't pay for broadband or biscuits.

We will fight for your right to Hob Nobs comrade!!! To the barricades!!!!!

[img] [/img]

[IMG] [/IMG]

If I'm freelancing, can I claim for more speakers?

You can claim the VAT back on them as a business expense. I'm unsure of where you stand on the subsequent structural damage to the building.

HMRC guidance states that bookshelf speakers are ok but not floorstanders or sub-woofers. Check current case law for speaker stands.

No chair so that you can throw shapes more effectively gofasterstripes?

Wonder how many people taking the piss are self employed and claim the VAT back on things like broadband, even though they have broadband in the house anyway.

I'm unsure of where you stand on the subsequent structural damage to the building.

Have you seen my sub? It makes those seem rather, umm, small. It's 170*45*45 tranmission line...

Some plaster appears to have fallen off the wall. Luckily [for the other residents] I tend to only use it in the middle of the day, when they're all out [off off work with a migraine].

Wonder how many people taking the piss are self employed and claim the VAT back on things like broadband, even though they have broadband in the house anyway.

One of my mates got the VAT back on his new kitchen, as a business expense. I thought that was pushing the boundaries, but his attitude was '**** it! I put everything through. If they pull me up for it, then I'll pay it'. They didn't.

Wonder how many people taking the piss are self employed and claim the VAT back on things like broadband, even though they have broadband in the house anyway.

Although I had my business before broadband existed (I needed an ISDN line back then for clients to access data) - chicken meet egg.

do you claim VAT back for a proportion of your leccy too? 🙂

Wonder how many people taking the piss are self employed and claim the VAT back on things like broadband, even though they have broadband in the house anyway.

I claim 50% of the broadband cost as a business expense, why wouldn't I? It is a genuine business expense.

I claim 50% of the broadband cost as a business expense, why wouldn't I? It is a genuine business expense.

I haven't got a problem with that.

But by the same token, the OP has a legitimate gripe no?

I wonder how many people taking the piss are fully employed and don't assume that the tax man is making efficient use of all the allowances/expenses they are entitled to....
There are forms for this exact reason:
[url= https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-tax-relief-for-expenses-of-employment-p87 ]HMRC P87[/url]
This is the step before HMRC Tax Self-Assesment.

Assumption is the mother of all ^&%$ups.

Scar

Our company withdrew work internet access ages ago. In my old place I had 3 BT boxes, one each for me and the wife and one for home broadband.

The technology allows us just to use the home connection quickly and securly so seems churlish to try and claim it back!?

The "Working from home" unless defined in the job specification and a requirement for the role, is seen as a shared benefit with zero overhead for most businesses.

There are some companies that provide a WFH allowance, which is HMRC linked. Most however do not, as the administration cost of doing this would be higher than the amounts involved, so reduce the shared benefit to near zero.
(my company included)

This is where the P87 comes in.
You can claim to the letter of the HMRC allowances, rather than be restricted to what your company deems "benefitial" or "worthwhile" to it's employees.

Scar

But by the same token, the OP has a legitimate gripe no?

Absolutely, I think the company are taking the piss.

[edit] Although it appears that the P87 form linked to above would help the OP's wife claim back the money she would otherwise be losing so maybe they're not taking the pee as much as i thought.

But by the same token, the OP has a legitimate gripe no?

I think they've got a very legitimate gripe, which is why I posted the link to stuff about custom and practice terms and conditions of employment. Foisting this on someone as a means to cut expenses could certainly amount to a big deal, depending how many others were affected,

[i]This is where the P87 comes in.
You can claim to the letter of the HMRC allowances, rather than be restricted to what your company deems "benefitial" or "worthwhile" to it's employees.[/i]

This, and for most folk it'll be pennies unless they do loads of business miles and their company pays under the allowances.