The deadline is April 5 and it takes just a few minutes to apply for the relief
During the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, millions of people found themselves working from home. Now, Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert is encouraging everyone who did so to check if they’re eligible for up to £140 in tax relief, which expires on Saturday, April 5.
Those who worked from home between April 6, 2020 and April 5, 2022, when Covid-19 restrictions were most stringent, received an extension on the rules for claiming this tax relief. However, these claims can only be backdated by four tax years.
The 2025/2026 tax year commences on April 6, meaning that this Saturday is the final day people can claim this relief and backdate it to the pandemic period. The entire claim process can be completed online in just a few minutes, but you will need certain documents at hand.
According to MSE, to qualify for the tax relief, you must demonstrate that you had to work from home due to the following reasons:
- The UK or your specific area was under lockdown
- Your workplace was closed
- You were instructed to isolate by NHS Test and Trace
- You were self-isolating after being pinged by the NHS app
Additionally, you must be able to declare to HMRC what specific extra costs you incurred as a result of having to work from home. If you chose to work from home, your employer covered additional costs, or you didn’t incur extra costs, you likely won’t be eligible for the tax relief.
The amount of relief you’ll receive will hinge on your tax band and the specific expenses you’re claiming for. For instance, a basic rate taxpayer claiming for electricity and heating could receive approximately £62.40 for each year they worked from home, while additional rate taxpayers could receive up to £140.40.
There’s no need to provide receipts for items like heating and electricity as these are calculated at a flat rate of £6 per week for relief calculations. However, if you believe your bills increased by more than £6 per week, you’ll need to provide evidence of this and demonstrate that it was directly related to working from home.
You can claim the relief using HMRC’s online form, but only if you didn’t file a self-assessment tax return for the years you’re claiming for. If you did, you’ll need to write to HMRC to amend these tax returns.
When completing the online form, it’s helpful to have the following information readily available:.
- Your Government Gateway ID logins
- Your employer’s name
- Your PAYE reference
- Your job title
- The additional expenses you incurred and supporting evidence such as receipts
- Your address
Continue through the form until you reach the page titled ‘Using your home as an office’, where you can opt to claim relief on expenses. More guidance on how to complete this form can be found on MSE.
Workers who operate from home have always been eligible to claim some tax relief due to increased costs such as electricity and heating. However, new rules introduced on April 6, 2022, have made it more challenging to claim this relief.
