c2w - should you have to actually cycle to work?

[screenman]

So the self employed can buy it as long as it is used for business, but the PAYE person can buy it to get to work on. Seems like one rule for one and one for another.

My accountants who happen to be a very large firm said I had no way of claiming it for business use due to the nature of my business.

I do know the rules, just I do not like them as they are open to far to much abuse.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Different rules for different circumstances. If a self employed person buys the bike, it's a business asset, the same as a van. However, they'd still have to justify the purchase as a legitimate expense, so if the person was running a business hand delivering nappies (for example), using the bike, then that would be acceptable.

However, you're right that the rules are lax. Certainly in the O/P's comments, the employer should be taking more of an interest in making sure the use is genuine.

 

[subaqua]

I've got a C2W bike and yes, it's to help reduce both the tax I pay and to keep Child Benefit from being reduced by a bit.

I choose to cycle to work 80-100% of the time. The car hardly gets used as a result. However, the C2W bike isn't used much for the commute; I've 5 to choose from and vary them as needed. Does that make me a tax dodger? I don't think so.

thats one reason i may well get a bike on the C2W scheme this year. £1000 boardman please.

 

[subaqua]

So the self employed can buy it as long as it is used for business, but the PAYE person can buy it to get to work on. Seems like one rule for one and one for another.

My accountants who happen to be a very large firm said I had no way of claiming it for business use due to the nature of my business.

I do know the rules, just I do not like them as they are open to far to much abuse.

do you have a separate business premises that is away from your home?

Thats how one guy who I work with got his on C2W . valid argument that he left his van at the business premises and rode to and from home on it.

 

[Standoff]

Why? It is.

Cos governments don't have any money. It's our money! Taken from us by threat of jail. Now I can live with paying for hospitals, schools etc but please.....leave government out of schemes like this. Just dont take so much off us in the first place.

 

[srw]

Cos governments don't have any money. It's our money! Taken from us by threat of jail.

No it's not. It's their money. In the same way that you pay Tescos for the privilege of shopping there, or BT for the privilege of having a phoneline, or your water company for the privilege of running water, so you pay the government for the privilege of living in the country and benefitting from the services you use.

 

[screenman]

do you have a separate business premises that is away from your home?

Thats how one guy who I work with got his on C2W . valid argument that he left his van at the business premises and rode to and from home on it.

I do have separate premises, however it still stands I cannot get relief on a bike. Likewise I cannot like all of us get tax relief on the fuel used to and from my premises.

In reality I have no problem with tax, I just wish everyone paid it to help me out a bit.

 

[martint235]

Cos governments don't have any money. It's our money! Taken from us by threat of jail. Now I can live with paying for hospitals, schools etc but please.....leave government out of schemes like this. Just dont take so much off us in the first place.

Let's just assume for the moment that cycling to work is a good thing. Makes us fitter, happier, improves mental wellbeing etc. Now if our illustrious leaders said "Ok. What we're going to do is charge you all £80 a month less tax but we'd like you to buy a bike and commute to work", how many people would do so? I think a lot fewer than the number that have said yes to "If you buy a bike and commute to work, we'll give you a tax break that amounts to at least 20% of the cost of your bike AND we'll give you an interest free loan to pay for it"

 

[carolonabike]

I do have separate premises, however it still stands I cannot get relief on a bike. Likewise I cannot like all of us get tax relief on the fuel used to and from my premises.

In reality I have no problem with tax, I just wish everyone paid it to help me out a bit.

You can claim 20 per mile for business travel though, so if you travelled 50 miles a week you could claim £10. Not much, but over a year it would pay for a bike.

 

[subaqua]

I do have separate premises, however it still stands I cannot get relief on a bike. Likewise I cannot like all of us get tax relief on the fuel used to and from my premises.

In reality I have no problem with tax, I just wish everyone paid it to help me out a bit.

same here, will pay what i have to . C2W helps me reduce what i have to.

 

[Standoff]

'There money'? Who are 'they'

 

[martint235]

You can claim 20 per mile for business travel though, so if you travelled 50 miles a week you could claim £10. Not much, but over a year it would pay for a bike.

Same rules though, it would only apply to business travel not travel to and from the business. Unfortunately. It is one of the failings with C2W, it should be available to everyone. We'll just have to hope. However whilst it is being abused, it's more likely that HMRC will tighten up rather than widen the scope.

 

[subaqua]

'There money'? Who are 'they'

UK Plc run by HM Govt for us on our behalf

 

[screenman]

You can claim 20 per mile for business travel though, so if you travelled 50 miles a week you could claim £10. Not much, but over a year it would pay for a bike.

Business travel is not too and from a permanent place of work. Can you tell me how your maths work? the 20p per miles bit.

 

[Sara_H]

And that assumes the bike wouldn't have been bought anyway - most people seem to be using the scheme to buy a bike they would have bought anyway.

Not me, I would never have been able to afford the bike I bought, the tax break and being able to spread the cost wrked very well for me.