From April 2026, HMRC is removing the popular £6-per-week work-from-home tax relief.
What Was the £6-a-Week Claim?
Employees who were required to work from home could claim tax relief on additional household expenses.
There were two ways to claim:
- Actual costs (with evidence), or
- A flat rate of £6 per week if you worked enough hours—no receipts required
Most chose the simpler £6 option. It was quick, easy, and required minimal paperwork.
What’s Changing in April 2026?
From 6 April 2026, this tax relief is being completely abolished for employees who are not reimbursed by their employer.
In practical terms:
- You will no longer be able to claim the £6 per week allowance
- You also won’t be able to claim actual homeworking expenses through HMRC
This change was announced in the 2025 Budget and is now being implemented through legislation.
Important: What Isn’t Changing
There is one crucial point many people misunderstand:
Employers can still reimburse homeworking expenses tax-free
This means:
- If your employer pays you for extra homeworking costs, it can still be done without tax or National Insurance
- The change only affects claims made directly by employees to HMRC
So the responsibility may shift from HMRC to employers.
The Bigger Picture
This change reflects a broader shift in how the government views homeworking. What was once widely supported during the pandemic is now being scaled back in the tax system.
While the £6-a-week claim was never a huge financial benefit, its removal signals a move toward stricter rules and fewer automatic allowances.
For many workers, the key question going forward is simple:
If HMRC won’t cover the cost of working from home, will employers step in?
