Has working from home become part of ‘the new normal’ for you?
Millions of people across the country have had to revert to working from inside their four walls for the past five or so months due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The UK government is now certainly keen for people to begin returning to their places of work this month – with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham also encouraging a “voluntary” and “safety-led” return – but with many employers not planning to send their staff back into the office until 2021, this could mean that lots face working at home for a few more months.
Working from home has also seen many have to fork out increased costs on things such as energy bills, water and internet, but if this sounds all too familiar to you, you’ll be glad to know that help is available.
HMRC says it will consider claims from employees working at home due to coronavirus (COVID-19) measures if their usual workplace is closed, and Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis has explained this week how you can claim £24 a month tax back on extra costs.
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In simple terms, this means you can claim back an extra £6 per week and also means that if you’ve worked from home since March, you could be in line for as much as £144.
According to Martin Lewis, there are two ways to do this:
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Employers can pay you £6/week extra tax-free – Employers can give you an allowance up to this amount and what they give you is free from tax, so you get it all (to give you more, it will need to make special arrangements).
But with many firms struggling right now, asking this may be bad timing, so instead you can:
Claim tax relief on £6/wk (worth £1.20/wk at 20% tax, £2.40/wk at higher rate) – If your employer won’t pay expenses for your extra costs due to necessary working from home, but you have them, then you can ask for the amount to be deducted from your taxable income.
To make the process easy, HMRC says that claims in line with the employers’ payment (eg: for £6/wk) will not need to justify that figure, meaning you won’t need to keep receipts or prove information, but if you believe you have higher increased costs, then you can claim more, but you will need evidence of the cost increases.
Retrospective claims can also be made.
Speaking further on this, Martin Lewis said: “You claim retrospectively on expenses had, so if you’re only at home due to coronavirus, it’s best to wait until you’re back at work (or a few months anyway) then make the whole claim at once.
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“Your tax code will likely be adjusted so you pay less tax over the year, as opposed to you getting a direct refund.”
Once you’ve submitted the claim, you are likely to hear back within a couple of weeks, however it should be noted that with HMRC previously stating it is under pressure amid current circumstances, it may take a little longer than anticipated.
Online tax relief claims can be made via the gov.uk website.
If you would like additional advice on claiming back and the ways in which to do so, you can visit the Money Saving Expert website here.
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Everything inside the Sephora VIP goodie bags worth more than £1,000
Daisy Jackson
Sephora opening in Manchester has been causing a bit of a stir, with more than 2,000 people queueing up this week to try and nab a free goodie bag.
And while the presents being handed out to the public are pretty impressive, it’s nothing compared to the VIP goodie bags given out at the store’s official launch on Wednesday.
A number of celebrities, influencers, press and other special guests were invited to have a sneak peek of the huge new shop at the Trafford Centre before its official opening to the public.
At the glittering celebration, VIPs were given a glimpse at the huge range of products on offer inside Sephora’s first UK store outside of London.
Those in attendance included actor and TV presenter actor Katie Mcglynn, TV personality Caroline Thomas, actress Alex Fletcher and radio one presenter Natalie O’Leary, Real Housewives of Cheshire, Love Island personalities, and professional footballer Courtney Duffus.
Special guests of Sephora were then sent home with the goodie bag to end all goodie bags, stuffed full of full-sized cult products.
And having totted up the value of everything inside, we can confirm that each goodie bag is worth more than a grand (£1092.93, to be exact). Wowsers.
Viral products inside include Makeup By Mario lipstick, Olaplex, Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Glossier You perfume, and MorrocanOil hair treatments.
There are also TikTok sensations like the Dr Jart Tiger Grass treatment, which comes out of its tub green but magically turns beige on the skin, cancelling out redness.
And Tarte’s take on the revolutionary tubing mascara, which comes off your lashes with only water and a wipe, was also chucked in.
The most high-value items in the Sephora goodie bags were an Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream worth £64, Caudalie’s brightening serum at £52, and a Neom candle for £38.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ Channel 4 dating show
Emily Sergeant
Those who consider themselves to be pretty unlucky-in-love can now apply to take part in one of the most “unique” dating shows on TV.
Following the undoubted success of the first series – which has been airing on E4 for the past couple of weeks now, before concluding last Thursday (9 May) – Channel 4 has now put out a nationwide casting call for people to take part in the next series of its newest dating game show, Love Triangle.
And the show’s producers are calling on singletons from Greater Manchester to stick an application in.
Mancs can apply to be paired up with two potential partners for a ‘unique’ TV dating show / Credit: Channel 4
Unfamiliar with Love Triangle?
Based off the US and Australian programmes of the same name, the UK version is a so-called “supersized” take on the show, and it seeks to “turn everything you know about dating on its head”.
In what is a first of its kind for UK television, the brand-new relationship format asks six courageous singles to reject all the conventions and pitfalls of modern app-based dating in favour of a “radical” new approach.
Channel 4 is currently casting across the UK for the next series of Love Triangle / Credit: Channel 4
The six contestants will first choose a love match from two potential suitors.
One match embodies each single’s usual wants, type, and desires, while the other reflects their deeper and more “fulfilling” romantic needs.
After choosing one of the suitors to date, the other will then make a “shocking surprise return” to form a love triangle, and then, after dating and living with both suitors, each single faces a choice – they must pick one of their matches to “pursue lasting love”.
The casting call for contestants on the Channel 4 website reads: “In this unique relationship series reflecting dating in the real world, unlucky-in-love singles are matched with two potential partners, who each tick different boxes of their wants and needs, in the hopes of finding long-lasting love.”
To apply for the show, you just need to be 18 years of age or older, a resident of the UK, and crucially, single and “looking for love”.