Cycle to Work Scheme - number of bikes....

[User482]

After the year has finished the CycleScheme scheme, offers you the opportunity to hire the bike for another three years for a deposit of 7% of the original value of the bike. After that three years has passed, you can hand the bike back to receive your deposit back or you just become the owner with no further monies changing hands.

This is what we have. I have just the one - a Giant Trance 4 of 2006/7 vintage. I'm no longer interested in bikes <£1k...

 

[User169]

I can make use of the bikeplan at work. As I understand it, you buy a bike, hand in the receipt and the cash turns up in your bank account the following month (up to a max of 650 EUR). I think you can do it once every three years.

 

[DCLane]

Am I the only one who finds the idea of buying a bike on C2W just so as to bring your pay down below the £50k threshold for getting child benefit a bit distasteful?

Maybe you do - but it's legal and about the only method available to me except paying more into a pension. Which, given the changes planned, isn't worth doing.

Many people are doing exactly the same thing (I know of 5 others) - but at least I'm commuting by bike to work every day. Most don't even bother once they've got a bike on the C2W system which is supposed to be used for commuting 50% of the time.

 

[TheDoctor]

Lots of things are legal, but that doesn't make them moral.
However, we've all got our own views, I expect.

 

[The Jogger]

Lots of things are legal, but that doesn't make them moral.
However, we've all got our own views, I expect.

Exactly, Live and Let Live so long as you aren't doing anyone anyharm.........it's a tax relief scheme omg

 

[TheDoctor]

Well, I could certainly put up an argument that tax relief schemes harm us all.
Harnessing a tax relief scheme so your income becomes low enough to claim a means-tested benefit harms us even more. It's not free money - you and I are paying for it.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Well, I could certainly put up an argument that tax relief schemes harm us all.
Harnessing a tax relief scheme so your income becomes low enough to claim a means-tested benefit harms us even more. It's not free money - you and I are paying for it.

How does "you and I are paying for it" = harm?

 

[subaqua]

How does "you and I are paying for it" = harm?

the money being used could be better spent on those that actually need it.

 

[rvw]

It's probably too complex to measure, but I'd love to know whether the cost in terms of tax revenue foregone* is outweighed by the savings to the NHS from people being fitter, reductions in pollution etc - given that not everyone who gets a C2W bike actually rides it. I happen to think it's probably worth it.

(* not including revenue foregone from lower sales of - highly taxed - petrol - or where would you draw the line?!)

 

[subaqua]

It's probably too complex to measure, but I'd love to know whether the cost in terms of tax revenue foregone* is outweighed by the savings to the NHS from people being fitter, reductions in pollution etc - given that not everyone who gets a C2W bike actually rides it. I happen to think it's probably worth it.

(* not including revenue foregone from lower sales of - highly taxed - petrol - or where would you draw the line?!)

is not the C2W thats the issue , its the using it to scrape under the threshold for a means tested benefit without then using the bike for what it was supposedly obtained for.

 

[MisterStan]

Ditto sadly


Sent from my FondleSlab using Tapatalk HD

That's a piss poor excuse from your employer. I'm the only one using our scheme, my boss likes the fact it saves him money, he also likes looking out his office window at my bike.

 

[MisterStan]

To answer the OP, I have just finished paying off my first bike, a flat bar road bike and am looking to get a drop bar soon, just trying to ascertain if I can get the one I'm after through C2W. My boss has no problem with me getting a second bike.

 

[DCLane]

Well, I could certainly put up an argument that tax relief schemes harm us all.
Harnessing a tax relief scheme so your income becomes low enough to claim a means-tested benefit harms us even more. It's not free money - you and I are paying for it.

For reference, I'd get the benefit anyway - but it would be reduced rather than going entirely. Overall it means I get about £200 extra child benefit over the C2W 18 month period I'd have lost. Just because the government decided to introduce income-based child benefit limits, and then move them.

Does it harm us all? Maybe, maybe not. I'd have not bought the bike, so it's VAT revenue contributed which wouldn't have been. I'll have an end contribution which goes to the government as well = more VAT.

We're paying for it yes. Is it moral? I'd put the point that I'm bunging a fair amount of tax into George Osborne's account, which I don't compain about doing. I could shove it via an offshore account or similar dodgy investments, but a) I wouldn't and b) there's not enough left with two kids and trying to pay off a mortgage ASAP.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

None, my employer does not run the scheme. I don't think I would use it anyway, because for my ability and usage what I can find second hand is plenty adequate.
Got 4 at the moment, don't think I will need another one soon

 

[Cubist]

None, as my employer has not managed to get a scheme up and running. If they were to I guess the answer would remain none because
It would be the most rigorously policed imaginable.
Administered ny Halfords probably.
I seem to own 8 bikes at the moment.

That it's administered by Halfords isn't an issue. I own a bike that isn't a Halfords brand, that hasn't been anywhere near a Halfords and never will. They administered the whole deal painlessly and flawlessly.

The time before I did buy a Halfords brand, checked it and adjusted it/set it up myself. Got £80 worth of accessories free with the deal (ltrunk bag and beam rack) Awesome bike.