Bike to Work scheme - the Megathread - Read post #1 before posting

Leogirl

Apologies if this has already been asked but can an employer avail of this scheme but give the bike to the employee for free? So no salary sacrifice?

mr spuckler

was gonna post this in a new thread until i saw this one - can the following be added to the OPs as advice? I didn't see it when i looked at the first few posts...

the once every 5 years thing works on calendar years rather than specific dates. therefore if you bought a bike anytime in 2009 you are now eligible for b2w again, there's no need to wait until the full 5 years (to the day / month) have passed.
this was confirmed to me on the phone by the revenue earlier today.

eoz

mr spuckler wrote: »

was gonna post this in a new thread until i saw this one - can the following be added to the OPs as advice? I didn't see it when i looked at the first few posts...

the once every 5 years thing works on calendar years rather than specific dates. therefore if you bought a bike anytime in 2009 you are now eligible for b2w again, there's no need to wait until the full 5 years (to the day / month) have passed.
this was confirmed to me on the phone by the revenue earlier today.

Not for me tho. Some employers will make you wait for the date you originally applied.

mr spuckler

there's no basis for that though if the revenue allow it - i'd imagine the company may be working on an incorrect assumption around it being an exact 5 year thing?

dreamerb

eoz wrote: »

Not for me tho. Some employers will make you wait for the date you originally applied.

They're probably entitled to if they want to, but, as mr spuckler says, it's not a requirement. Revenue has recently updated its Cycle to Work Scheme FAQs to clarify this, including giving an example. (See link to FAQs from Beasty's post in page 1) If your employer is under a genuine misapprehension, providing that might help.

eoz

mr spuckler wrote: »

there's no basis for that though if the revenue allow it - i'd imagine the company may be working on an incorrect assumption around it being an exact 5 year thing?

They are aware that revenue allow it but that is there position on it.

TychoCaine

Leogirl wrote: »

Apologies if this has already been asked but can an employer avail of this scheme but give the bike to the employee for free? So no salary sacrifice?

Look back at post #2 way back in 2011. They can give it to you as a gift without a BIK liability.

godtabh

Interested in getting a bike on the BTW scheme. Just wondering what happens if the cost is above €1000.

Idleater

godtabh wrote: »

Interested in getting a bike on the BTW scheme. Just wondering what happens if the cost is above €1000.

Your employer shells out the full whack, puts the first €1000 through payroll pre tax and the remainder after tax.
Mine was €1400 or something, with the added benefit of me having to pay it in one go rather than monthly over a year.

mcgratheoin

godtabh wrote: »

Interested in getting a bike on the BTW scheme. Just wondering what happens if the cost is above €1000.

You pay the first €1000 out of your gross salary (pre-tax) and the remainder is taken from your net (post-tax) salary.

godtabh

any one have experience of paying the extra up front?

fabvinny

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Three weeks from picking the bike and getting an invoice to collecting my new Defy. Not bad considering the number of steps involved in the Civil Service scheme. Getting on well with the staff in Personnel probably speeded things up.

just got an invoice last saturday for a new defy so glad to hear it doesnt take too long!

Idleater

godtabh wrote: »

any one have experience of paying the extra up front?

My case was probably closest. Small company so effectively on payday the admin rang the bike shop with the company credit card details and put through the payroll after that. Like I said, I paid for the full bike in one go.

Ryath

I just got a cheque for €1000 from my employer and paid the balance myself.

TychoCaine

godtabh wrote: »

any one have experience of paying the extra up front?

I did, but it was only €50 so it wasn't worth the hassle of putting it through payroll

godtabh

Small company here as well. Looking to get another Canyon (unless any one can point me to a good carbon spec bike?) so would probably use the company credit card. I'd lodge €500 into the directly and the pay the rest in salary sacrifice.

furyen

so the multi national company(kerry footballer main sponsors!) i work for will not roll out the scheme for there employees, how come there is not a facility for people join up on their own ? after all you are paying with your own tax.
anyone know which government department i need to lobby to make this change ?

cantwbr1

Hi All, Apologies (as usual) if this has been asked previously. Has anyone used Wiggle for the BTW scheme and did you have any difficulties?

Ryath

cantwbr1 wrote: »

Hi All, Apologies (as usual) if this has been asked previously. Has anyone used Wiggle for the BTW scheme and did you have any difficulties?

Yes it has
You can buy your bike where ever you like as long as your company agree to it and can pay by a method agreeable to the retailer. Online this would usually mean a company credit card which I'd imagine is not available to everyone. Some online retailers do allow payment by cheque.

Ryath

godtabh wrote: »

Small company here as well. Looking to get another Canyon (unless any one can point me to a good carbon spec bike?) so would probably use the company credit card. I'd lodge €500 into the directly and the pay the rest in salary sacrifice.

Assume you are looking at the Ultimate CF sl 7.0 at €1650 delivered?
It's hard to look past the value canyon offer as they are so well specced for the money but don't discount buying local.

http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/1561/cube-agree#techspec-tab-tab
Ultegra 11 speed I'd imagine enough of a discount could be got to bring it close in price to the canyon.

The 105 version would be well under budget
http://www.fitzcycles.ie/p/1560/cube-agree#techspec-tab-tab

I wouldn't discount aluminum completely this would tempt me 2014 model is still under budget if you prefer the colours.
https://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=66881

dave_o_brien

I have a query, brought on by something my boss asked me recently.

He asked "Are you using that bike you got on the scheme to cycle to work?"

Here's my question:

I got a Giant TCR Composite 2: 105 groupset and basic Giant wheels with a great frame. I stripped the frame and rebuilt it with my Ultegra groupset and fancy wheels, and used the 105 groupset to upgrade my cross/commuter, and use the wheels on it too. I cycle my cross bike daily, with the groupset and wheels I got on the B2W as part of a full bike.

This is a bit of a ship of theseus/triggers broom scenario, but was I right in replying "Yes, every day" to my boss?

Idleater

dave_o_brien wrote: »

This is a bit of a ship of theseus/triggers broom scenario, but was I right in replying "Yes, every day" to my boss?

You "signed" a declaration that your intention was to use the bike you bought under the scheme for qualifying journeys.

If at a later date your priorities change, say you considered getting a hack for bad weather keeping the good bike for nicer days, fair enough.

Say later again you decide to race, and your btw bike frame is the perfect candidate for that, no biggie, it doesn't affect your initial intention to only cycle on qualified journeys.

dave_o_brien

Idleater wrote: »

You "signed" a declaration that your intention was to use the bike you bought under the scheme for qualifying journeys.

If at a later date your priorities change, say you considered getting a hack for bad weather keeping the good bike for nicer days, fair enough.

Say later again you decide to race, and your btw bike frame is the perfect candidate for that, no biggie, it doesn't affect your initial intention to only cycle on qualified journeys.

But regardless of my intentions, the vast majority of the bike I cycle to work on was bought via the scheme. There are very few components on the bike that were not originally purchased via a salary sacrifice agreement. I use this bike to cycle to work daily.

wirelessdude01

dave_o_brien wrote: »

I have a query, brought on by something my boss asked me recently.

He asked "Are you using that bike you got on the scheme to cycle to work?"

Here's my question:

I got a Giant TCR Composite 2: 105 groupset and basic Giant wheels with a great frame. I stripped the frame and rebuilt it with my Ultegra groupset and fancy wheels, and used the 105 groupset to upgrade my cross/commuter, and use the wheels on it too. I cycle my cross bike daily, with the groupset and wheels I got on the B2W as part of a full bike.

This is a bit of a ship of theseus/triggers broom scenario, but was I right in replying "Yes, every day" to my boss?

I doubt your boss gives a fup what your doing with the bike. Would imagine it was a throw away remark.

CramCycle

dave_o_brien wrote: »

This is a bit of a ship of theseus/triggers broom scenario, but was I right in replying "Yes, every day" to my boss?

To cut a long discussion short and to stop the thread going off track, yes, that was the correct response.

dave_o_brien

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I doubt your boss gives a fup what your doing with the bike. Would imagine it was a throw away remark.

Someone hates their boss!

CramCycle wrote: »

To cut a long discussion short and to stop the thread going off track, yes, that was the correct response.

Ha, cheers, I thought so too.

nak

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

I doubt your boss gives a fup what your doing with the bike. Would imagine it was a throw away remark.

400+ bikes bought through the scheme at my work and at last transport survey carried out, only 47 people said they cycled to work. Go figure.

I have been cycling to work for 8 years and have only just bought a bike through the scheme.

Beasty

furyen wrote: »

so the multi national company(kerry footballer main sponsors!) i work for will not roll out the scheme for there employees, how come there is not a facility for people join up on their own ? after all you are paying with your own tax.
anyone know which government department i need to lobby to make this change ?

There is no facility for individual employees to "sign up" on their own. Likewise it's not possible for the self-employed to avail of the scheme. There is virtually nil chance of this changing, as the scheme technically can only work for emloyees who are subject to PAYE with the employer making any adjustments required to the PAYE

The scheme basically exemepts the bike from being a taxable employer-provided benefit in kind. The salary sacrifice is basically an add-on which eliminates any cost to the employer if they are prepared to administer the salary sacrifice arrangements.

The only thing that lobbying is likely to achieve (if sufficient do it) is the acceleration of the removal of the scheme altogether

TychoCaine

Beasty wrote: »

The only thing that lobbying is likely to achieve (if sufficient do it) is the acceleration of the removal of the scheme altogether

True. The scheme was introduced by the last government to keep the green party happy. FG & Labour would have no problems with dismantling the scheme.

Idleater

TychoCaine wrote: »

FG & Labour would have no problems with dismantling the scheme.

As clearly evidenced by the last 4(?) budgets :rolleyes:

Regarding the 400 applicants and 47 bikes in the post above, qualifying journeys include cycling to the train/bus. Even then, the scheme is based on intent. You could have the best of intentions of cycling to work but have a horrid first commute and ditch the bike in the shed for eternity without making a mockery of the scheme.