Cycle To Work e-bike spending limit removed.

[Deleted member 26715]

The cycle to work scheme has never had a £1,000 limit.
The way that it is structured means that whatever the current equivalent of a consumer credit licence is needed if the bike (and accessories) comes in over £1,000 and most employers don't have one.
The update clarifies but does not change the position that third parties that have the relevant licence can offer more expensive packages on the employers behalf.

Sorry I understand all the above points, so is this actually a no news story, or have they made provision for companies that do not hold credit licenses to be able to offer over £1K, neither the article or you post makes this clear.

 

[rivers]

Good morning,



T

I am not too up on early termination of C2W as there are various options, but returning the bike and walking away is not often an option, I understand that some companies now have bike pools, but would they want the ebike in the pool.

Ian

My employer has a pool of e-bikes for employees to use for up to 48 hours, or over a weekend. It is to give people a chance to try out an e-bike before deciding whether or not they want to purchase one on our C2W scheme

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon.

Sorry I understand all the above points, so is this actually a no news story, or have they made provision for companies that do not hold credit licenses to be able to offer over £1K, neither the article or you post makes this clear.

It is mostly a no news story. :-)

If the employer doesn't have the necessary FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) approval to offer credit then both before and after the announcement they can not offer over £1K.

Both before and after the announcement the employer without the FCA authorisation can delegate the funding of the scheme to a third party with FCA approval who can offer over £1K.

The announcement was a clarification of something deemed to be quite obscure.

Normally your employer buys the bike and creates a credit agreement with you, this is where the £1K limit comes from

Over £1K a third party company creates the contract with you for your £3K bike, you enter into a salary sacrifice contract with your employer for the scheme. The employer buys a voucher off the third party and this voucher must be used at an approved dealer, where the third party usually has some sort of profit share arrangement.

This arrangement sounds a bit iffy hence the need for clarification.

It doesn't follow that because your employer is allowed to do this, that he will. :-)




Bye

Ian

 

[Pale Rider]

As a relative minion, there's no way my employer would enter into any financial agreement at my suggestion.

We are that centralised, even the regional managing director can barely authorise the purchase of a pack of Biros.

I could do an 'ordinary' cycle to work, so it's not all bad.

A Brompton might not be a bad idea, given they hold their value better than other bikes, and I couldn't get much of a discount for cash.

 

[Slow But Determined]

If it was rebranded as "A Cheap Way For People To Buy A Bike But Not Actually Go To Work On It But Use It For Leisure At The Weekend After Going To Work All Week In The Car" I may have more time for this scheme.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

I bought my Claude Butler Roubaix through the CTW scheme back in 2010. The retail price then was £500 as that was the lower limit, anything up to £1000 would incur a higher final payment when the scheme finished. I had already set a limit of £500 for a new bike before I`d realised this limit anyway. I think that I paid £18 to actually purchase the bike after year 3 I believe. In total I paid about £340. I used the bike to commute (30 miles round trip) and of course at every available opportunity. Like myself there were quite a few others at work who used the scheme and with some, on more than one occasion. I still use the bike and now has over 14000 miles on it. My ex employer stopped the scheme just before I retired in 2017.
I should have added that if I`d been older at the time or in need of assisted power then I would have taken the option. I know that my cycling ability is`nt the same as it was so at least it is nice to know that using an ebike would be an alternative. Not to zoom around on but to assist.

 

[jowwy]

Crankarm is entitled to his opinion so I don't see why he should be reported.

I don't agree with the post but that's the nature of a forum isn't it ?

I would love to see less cars and more ebikes. I suspect many ebikers would otherwise use public transport but are attracted to the freedom of travelling where and when they wish to compared to the drudgery of timetables and cancellations on buses and trains.

When I have my opinion on things, my post gets deleted and I’m thread banned......it should be the same for everyone. Anti ebike rhetoric should be removed immediately no matter who posts it

 

[johnnyb47]

That's a bit harsh calling ebike user's lazy feckers. If a person is overweight, suffering medical conditions, or just simply lazy, why should they be branded and stigmatised. Who are we to judge.
Live and let live and embrace all kinds of cycling. It's one less car on the road and one more cyclist.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I've bought my last bikes via Cyclescheme Ltd https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk which ws the company of choice for the company years ago. I sent them an email asking if they were going to support the new no limit this was their response.

Good morning,

The recent news articles on the scheme change are great news and Cyclescheme is working with employers to implement the changes.

However, this will take a little time and it must be noted that employers do not have to opt into the new scheme (although we will be making it very easy for them to do so).

As I email you today, the Government has announced the change but not implemented it. Cyclescheme will work to update all employer schemes swiftly, once the guidance is actually implemented by the Government. In order to keep yourself and all other interested parties informed we've created a webpage that explains the change and makes clear our timeline of changes.

If you are interested in getting a bike now, you may wish to consider the following:

The bike is £1,000 or less - simply apply in the usual way

The bike is £1,000 or more - delay application until the guidance is formally announced or get a bike for £1,000 or less now

If you are going to delay, consider chatting to your employer to find out if they will be willing to move to a £1,000+ scheme in the near future? If they are, Cyclescheme will be able to move them onto the new version of the scheme (with a higher or removed limit) at their request shortly.

Keep an eye on Cyclescheme's new guidance page for more info: https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/cycle-to-work-scheme-any-price

Kind regards

So it looks like I will have to wait for a little longer before I get my E-bike.

 

[dodgy]

Thanks for posting that Phaeton, I knew there would be a little admin to go yet!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Thanks for posting that Phaeton, I knew there would be a little admin to go yet!

Just bear in mind that this is the company our company uses, other providers may be in front/behind with where they are in the process if you follow the link then under Timeline you get

Timeline:

• 09/06 - Government announced intention to update guidance (read it here)
• 13/06 - Government has implemented new guidance (see it here)
• 13/06 - Cyclescheme has communicated implementation plan to employers
• TBA - Cyclescheme to be able to move employers onto new scheme upon request
• TBA - Cyclescheme to upgrade our platform and implement changes for all employers
• TBA - Most employees to be able to request packages worth more than £1,000

But we haven't received anything yet.

 

[dodgy]

Quite fancy a GoCycle

 

[Pale Rider]

Quite fancy a GoCycle

I tried one a few years ago, but not for long enough to form a valid opinion.

From what I read elsewhere, owners like their GoCycles. and there's some good reviews online.

I saw one in a branch of Cycle Republic, although it wasn't there on my last visit a couple of weeks ago.

https://gocycle.com/

 

[glasgowcyclist]

If I were in the market for an ebike tomorrow then I'd avoid the C2W scheme and go for an interest-free loan over four years from https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/grants-loans/ebike-loan . (Only for viewers in Scotland)

You get more finance (up to £6k), more time to pay and the bike is yours from the outset with no final payment either.

 

[keithmac]

E-bikes should be banned. No way should they be part of the C2W scheme or similar. They are not cycling but motorcycling and treated as motorbikes which they are. I object to my taxes being used to subsidise these lazy feckers who are too lazy to pedal for themselves. They are massively environmentally unfriendly compared to a conventional bicycle.

Best put mine back in the shed then and get the car back out kn the road..

(Bought outright anyway, not on C2W Ironically as I use it to commute to work and back).