Another perk for your Member of Parliament.

[Muddyfox]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tax-break-for-mps-and-3-000-staff-to-get-on-2-500-e-bikes-b7r8xcwhg

An increase from £1000 to £2500 on the cycle to work scheme for MP's and their staff. They can also claim 20 pence a mile whilst using their new eBikes on official business.
Wonder what the take up rate will be ?

 

[Benjahmin]

It's amazin' how it goes isn't it?
My wife used to be an Occupational Therapist for social services. It was part of her contract of employment that she had to have a serviceable vehicle for home visits. As she ripped the exhaust off a standard saloon, going down farm and rough tracks, we ended up with a small 4x4 so she could do her job. For this she ended up getting paid the princely sum of 45p/mile - and that was supposed to cover tax, extra insurance required, fuel and wear and tear. It was also seen as taxable income on p.a.y.e. and she, according to HMRC, made a 'profit' on this every year.
Of course, 'We're all in this together'.

 

[MJS_1066]

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tax-break-for-mps-and-3-000-staff-to-get-on-2-500-e-bikes-b7r8xcwhg

An increase from £1000 to £2500 on the cycle to work scheme for MP's and their staff. They can also claim 20 pence a mile whilst using their new eBikes on official business.
Wonder what the take up rate will be ?

Disgusting. MPs should be chosen at random like a jury and paid whatever the average UK salary is.

 

[Bobajob]

We should be lobbying the government to have the same perk. Email you local MP and ask if they can support a similar scheme rolled out for all workers.

 

[jokskot]

"We should be lobbying the government to have the same perk. Email you local MP and ask if they can support a similar scheme rolled out for all workers. "

If your employer is signed up to the scheme, all employees are allowed the same benefit. To present the information as if the scheme is exclusive to MPs, the journalist is being very economical with the truth

 

[Warwick]

I have exactly the same 'perk' at my work. My MP - a very good one at that - used his bike for constituency duties and claimed what he was entitled to, only for the Scum/Sun to harangue him for doing so. There's no story here - move on...

 

[tonyw]

Disgusting. MPs should be chosen at random like a jury and paid whatever the average UK salary is.

I don't really see what your problem is with this - it's just the same scheme as many other workers have access to, and the 20p/mile allowance is what hmrc allows for use of a bike for business.

 

[MJS_1066]

I don't really see what your problem is with this - it's just the same scheme as many other workers have access to, and the 20p/mile allowance is what hmrc allows for use of a bike for business.

Don't you think MPs parasite enough money as it is? Two free houses (plus furniture) and £100 a day to spend on grub not enough for them, now they get a subsidised ebike to ride up their mountains of cash with.

 

[D C]

A lot of folk seem to use the cycle to work scheme to help with purchasing a bike but without intending to ever cycling to work. Should that also be a source of annoyance to those who can't take advantage of the scheme but would benefit from a bit of help to buy a bike?

 

[Bobajob]

"We should be lobbying the government to have the same perk. Email you local MP and ask if they can support a similar scheme rolled out for all workers. "

If your employer is signed up to the scheme, all employees are allowed the same benefit. To present the information as if the scheme is exclusive to MPs, the journalist is being very economical with the truth

ah right so all worker will qualify even the 20p/mile travelling expenses?

 

[jokskot]

ah right so all worker will qualify even the 20p/mile travelling expenses?

If you're using your bike (e or push) on company business and your employer agrees to it, the answer is YES. Travelling from your residence to your normal place of work is not covered by the scheme.
20p per mile is the amount agreed by HMC&E.

 

[Nealh]

20p a mile ideal for Deliveroo riders or any other delivery riders.

 

[Warwick]

A lot of folk seem to use the cycle to work scheme to help with purchasing a bike but without intending to ever cycling to work. Should that also be a source of annoyance to those who can't take advantage of the scheme but would benefit from a bit of help to buy a bike?

Why? Sounds a bit dog in the manger-ish to me...

 

[Bobajob]

Do you think that MPs are over or under paid? I think they’re over paid

 

[flecc]

Do you think that MPs are over or under paid? I think they’re over paid

No, because it's necessary to pay enough to get representation across the social spectrum for what is in reality a rotten anti-social hours job.

I remember long ago when MPs got only £2000 a year, even less than me in a lowly job, so as a result almost all the MPs were people from privileged and wealthy backgrounds. That left the vast majority of us unrepresented, other than by MPs who had no idea what ordinary life was like for most.
.

 

[Woosh]

they still pay themselves too much.
Half of them receive extra money for being in the front bench.
Then they don't have to go to work if they are busy elsewhere.
Still, compared to the lords, they look OK.
Covid shows up inequality in a different light.
The wife of one of my colleagues works for a local manufacturing company.
Because of Covid, they have to divide their workforce into two shifts instead of normal hours. She has to get up at 4AM, walks to the main bus station because at that time of the day, that's the only place where she can catch a bus to her work place. Imagine 1 extra hour walking and queueing every day for no extra money.
Her son works for a care home. Again, extra time spent every day/night on ppe to go in and out without extra pay.

 

[RossG]

It's not about the wages they get, in the overall scheme of things that doesn't really matter as we all know already they don't earn a fraction of the salary pop stars or footballers get. It's the perks that go with the job and how those privileges are abused that concerns me. I used to know one MP (now disgraced and booted out) who would drive into our local petrol station and fill up his 4X4 with fuel every chance he got. Don't tell me that cost came out of his own pocket.

 

[jokskot]

and the relevance of posts 14,16 and 17 to e-bikes?

 

[flecc]

and the relevance of posts 14,16 and 17 to e-bikes?

Probably resentment.

Large numbers of UK pedelecers are angry at the ban on independent throttles and a fair proportion don't see why they should be limited to 15.5 mph assist speed.

So they cast their representatives as the villains responsible, even though they aren't in fact.
.

 

[Warwick]

I blame Bosch...