Tax-Free Bikes

Tax-free bikes for work save you up to 42% on bikes and equipment.The Government's Green Transport Plan provides a tax exemption that allows employers to provide cycles to employees asa tax-free benefit. Cycle to Work schemes have been set up that carry out the administration on behalf of participating employers. Importantly - the bike does NOT have to be just for work.

Each scheme, whether it's managed through a third party or managed by the employers payroll department, will result in significant savings on the purchase of new a new bike and equipment - as the payments are taken from your pre-tax income.

The most widely used scheme is Cyclescheme, which operates through independent cycle retailers. Other schemes in which we participate are Green Commute Initiave, CyclePlus, Bike2Work Scheme, Halfords cycle2work,SalaryExchange and smaller schemes. Please follow the link to check how much you can save with the schemes' online calculator.https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/get-a-bike/how-it-works

How much can I spend on the cycle to work scheme?
The maximum Certificate value available via the scheme for the vast majority of participants has been £1,000 inc. VAT for many years.
However, employers have increasingly offered schemes with a maximum value of over £1,000 (where they have their own FCA Authorisation) and the Government has recently (13/06/19) broadened it's guidance in this area, making it easier for employers to use Cyclescheme's FCA Authorisation to offer schemes without higher limits.
The process of switching employers over to Cyclescheme's new scheme (where they can use our FCA Authorisation to increase their limit) is likely to take a little while.

Cyclescheme will be able to update employers scheme settings swiftly, but businesses often have processes they need to go through in order to make, and then effectively communicate, changes to benefits (like Cyclescheme).

If you're keen to make the most of the higher new limit, we recommend that you chat to your employer and check if they intend to increase their limit. Cyclescheme will be able to support them with this change as soon as they are ready.

The savings come from the employer reclaiming the VAT and then leasing the bike to the employee for a fixed term, normally 12 months. The monthly lease amount is taken from the employee's pre tax pay resulting in a tax saving in the employee's take home pay packet. The employee must have a permanent position, pay tax under PAYE, be aged 18 or over, and earn more than the national minimum wage once the bike payments have been deducted from the gross salary.

If you have any questions at all please contact us for more information. We are also more than happy to come to the workplace and demonstrate bikes and talk to your HR department about the benefits of joining one of the schemes.