I'm looking at an Orange Crush through Bike to Work, but it's £1100. My employer uses the Halfords scheme, but I know that other shops will accept their vouchers.

I tried Halfords at first, but they won't let you even look at one of their GTs unless you commit to buying it – useless! I'd much rather give my money to an LBS.

Does anyone know of any bike retailers in Edinburgh prepared to topup on the grand limit?

al

So far as I know you can top it up yourself, anything you spend over the vouchers value you just pay the difference…thats how it was for me…

The HMRC are a bit dodgy about that though, because technically the whole bike needs to be covered by the hire agreement so there's no part ownership from yourself. Some retailers have been known to turn a blind eye though.

Same here!

As far as I know, when the settlement figure is due its only on the original voucher total not the total you spent. I hope anyway!!

I suppose it depends whether the retailer has to report the purchase price back or not. Fingers crossed…

Leisure Lakes where doing an Orange Crush cycle to work special i know you prob want to see the bike in the flesh but they have a mail order system, might be worth a ring!

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/product/orangecrushmountainbike2010rtw(ridetoworkspecial).aspx?&id=12697

You cannot top up your voucher yourself. The HMRC are scrutinising all cycle 2 work schemes at present.
If you are found to have topped your voucher up then your employers are informed and you will lose all tax/vat benefits and will have to pay the full retail cost of the bike.
People need to realise that the limit is there for a reason. You certainly don't need to spend more than £1000 on a bike to ride to work on. People who take the pi$$ with the scheme may cause it to get closed down like the computers for work scheme.

All retailers have to invoice for the bike clearly stating what the customer had. Copies of receipts are also asked for to ensure the rules are adhered to

Surely the limit is there in relation to the companies not needing a consumer credit license? If they have one you can get a voucher for £4000 if you want, the £1000 is not an arbitrary limit.

Houns – Member
You certainly don't need to spend more than £1000 on a bike to ride to work on. People who take the pi$$ with the scheme may cause it to get closed down like the computers for work scheme.

The cycle to work scheme stipulates the bike must be used, at least 50% of the time, for cycling to work. The other 50% of the time requires a bike worth that much to get the most enjoyment out of it.

The computer scheme was not closed due to abuse, it was because Gordon Brown didn't want the rich to get the most benefit out of the scheme.

My local shop gets round this one by selling you the bike for £1k and then a service pack on top for £100 or 200 or whatever which is paid by you directly which makes up the difference. AS it's for servicing to look after the bike you're allowed to pay it.

You cannot top up your voucher yourself. The HMRC are scrutinising all cycle 2 work schemes at present.

The voucher value (and thus the benefit obtained) is only limited by your company's credit licence – your paying tax on any top-up. So I'm struggling to understand why it's in their interest to pry. Can you back your remark up or are you spouting off? 😉

what size were you after as theyre sold out till feb….ive got a 15" and a 19" avail! 😆

I've not actually got a voucher yet, it arrives early January. I'll give you a shout closer to the time anyway, Arbroath isn't that far from me.

Yes, the £1k limit is due to credit licencing arrangements, so if the HMRC are investigating it's because of that, rather than the principle of how much a bike is allowed to cost.

IIRC, Employers with their own credit licence are free to allow cycle to work vouchers to whatever level they wish.