Work From Home Costs Calculator
A work-from-home day usually saves you commuting, a bought lunch and a coffee run, but adds a bit to your home heating and electricity. See the real net saving (or cost) per WFH day, your annual total, and how it changes across a hybrid working pattern.
Estimate only. This calculator gives estimates for information only, not tax advice. HMRC working-from-home tax relief eligibility depends on your specific employment circumstances, check gov.uk or ask your employer if you're unsure.
It's a wash, no real difference
What you save on commuting roughly matches what you spend extra at home, WFH is about cost-neutral for you.
You haven't ticked "required to work from home", HMRC only pays this relief when your employer requires it, not when it's your own choice.
| Days/week | Annual net saving |
|---|---|
| 1 | £0 |
| 2 | £0 |
| 3 | £0 |
| 4 | £0 |
| 5 | £0 |
- Batch your in-office days together (e.g. Tue-Wed-Thu) rather than spreading them out, it concentrates the commute cost and keeps home heating off for longer unbroken stretches.
- Heat the room you're working in, not the whole house, a small heater or the room's own radiator valve is far cheaper than running full central heating all day.
- The £6/week flat-rate WFH tax relief was tightened after the pandemic, it's now only available if your employer requires you to work from home, not simply because you prefer to.
- If your employer doesn't require WFH but you still want the relief, ask whether they'll add WFH to your contract or offer a small home-working allowance instead.
Why the commute usually outweighs the extra heating
For most commuters, the cost of fuel or fares, a bought lunch and a coffee run adds up to far more per day than the extra gas and electricity of being home, so working from home usually comes out well ahead financially, even before counting the HMRC relief. The exception is anyone with a very short or free commute and a poorly insulated home to heat during a full working day, where the balance can tip the other way. The HMRC £6/week flat-rate relief is worth checking too, but only applies when your employer requires WFH rather than it being your own preference.
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