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

[lejogger]

I've used the scheme twice in two years but didn't sign up again for a third this month for numerous reasons, but all personal, not moral.

I got a Boardman Team Carbon and a Boardman CX Team. Both have been used for commuting, although the CX far more than the carbon admittedly.
FWIW I implemented the scheme for our workplace and administer it and think it has been utterly brilliant.

From a purely selfish point of view it's allowed me to buy bikes in a much more affordable way, and perhaps a quality of bike I may not have been able to afford otherwise. I've gone from a casual bike rider to a pretty obsessed club cyclist. I commute daily and even won my first time trial last night.

One of our senior staff bought a CX last year purely to take advantage of the tax break. I don't think he had much intention of using it at all. I've just approved his second scheme bike a couple of weeks ago after he phoned me up to tell me about the bike ride to Paris he's got planned, that he's lost 4 stone by cycling to work every day and that he's completely got the bug. I couldn't get him off the phone!

I couldn't really give a monkeys how many times a bike is used for commuting, as long as its getting some use. We're promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, people getting fit and setting better examples to their kids.
Yes there will always be people who take advantage... That's life. But if the majority are able to get a positive experience from being on a bike then it becomes completely worthwhile.

 

[lejogger]

but what is it with employers who insist on 'windows'

From an admin point of view there's one invoice for the employer to pay to purchase the bikes and then a set period to recover all the salary sacrifices in one go, rather than numerous smaller invoices and numerous start and finish dates for the repayment collection. It makes it much easier to keep track and to inform payroll when to start and stop the deductions, which in turn reduces errors made by stopping deductions too early or taking too much back.

Edit: when the biggest reason for employers rejecting the scheme is the administrative hassle, it's important to simplify the procedure as much as possible

 

[GrumpyGregry]

From an admin point of view there's one invoice for the employer to pay to purchase the bikes and then a set period to recover all the salary sacrifices in one go, rather than numerous smaller invoices and numerous start and finish dates for the repayment collection. It makes it much easier to keep track and to inform payroll when to start and stop the deductions, which in turn reduces errors made by stopping deductions too early or taking too much back.

Edit: when the biggest reason for employers rejecting the scheme is the administrative hassle, it's important to simplify the procedure as much as possible

Which I'd buy were it not for the overtime, the childcare vouchers, the expenses, the stuatory sick pay, the maternity pay, the COLA increases, the promotions, the bonuses, etc., etc.. that nearly all employers have to deal with 365 days a years on a near ad-hoc basis.

Any employer who doesn't want to do it on admin grounds simply doesn't want to do it and is looking for an excuse not to. By employing 'windows' they make the uptake of the scheme lower than it otherwise would be. (Perhaps because the CEO or FD or the HR Director doesn't approve of tax dodges for anyone but themselves cyclists.)

 

[lejogger]

Which I'd buy were it not for the overtime, the childcare vouchers, the expenses, the stuatory sick pay, the maternity pay, the COLA increases, the promotions, the bonuses, etc., etc.. that nearly all employers have to deal with 365 days a years on a near ad-hoc basis.

I completely agree. The reality is that control accounts (basically keeping track of collection of various elements of pay and deductions etc) are a complete ball-ache and the attitude is that it's bad enough to have to deal with all the 'required' ones let alone taking on more in addition. That's why despite having a whole department dedicated to taking care of exactly that, the specific control account that deals with the C2W scheme has to be managed by yours truly. The only reason our scheme is so successful is that the person who pushed to get it implemented (me) happens to work in a fairly influential finance based position, and volunteered to do all of of the scheme administration themselves.
If I decided to not do it any more, or moved jobs then the scheme would fold in an instant. I do happen to know that another very similar organisation to ourselves down the road has a Finance Director who is a very keen cyclist... as by complete coincidence they happen to have a very good flexible scheme that employees are actively encouraged to participate in, regular 'Dr Bike' days where mechanics from a local cycle shop pop down to carry out free repairs on staff bikes, staff incentives for cycling, a cycling mileage rate for journeys on work business etc...

 

[Andrew_Culture]

FWIW I implemented the scheme for our workplace and administer it and think it has been utterly brilliant.

.

I hadn't considered running the scheme myself... Cogs are now turning...


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[lejogger]

My biggest concern now though is the spin offs from the cycle to work scheme. I get far too frequent calls now from a certain company touting 'Mobile Phone' salary sacrifice schemes and supermarket 'shopping voucher' salary sacrifice schemes.
I'd get laughed out the door if I went to my finance director with these proposals, and yes there are savings that can be made by employees and employers alike but you have to be really careful with them.. most of the savings are due to deductions in pension contributions and that can have serious implications if you start taking them out here, there, and everywhere for all manner of things especially if you're close to retirement age and have a final salary pension.

 

[lejogger]

I hadn't considered running the scheme myself... Cogs are now turning...


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It's a very viable option. It was in fact the only way it was going to happen for us... it's not that hard, and if you're serious I'll happily discuss if you need any advice.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

It's a very viable option. It was in fact the only way it was going to happen for us... it's not that hard, and if you're serious I'll happily discuss if you need any advice.

Thanks, that's very kind.


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[GrumpyGregry]

It's funny. I suggested the scheme to our senior management team. I was the first hirer. I was the first cycle commuter from out of town. Yet I didn't, and don't, have to do the admin myself and the finance department said, and say,bring it on, it's a welcome staff benefit, and the admin is a piece of cake. And they were saying that before they reported to me. 10% of our staff now cycle to work regularly.

Employers are all different I guess. If some want to find reasons not to do something they find them.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I'm management (but without underlings) so I might see if I can talk the MD into letting me start a scheme. I'm a little conflicted as me and the good wife shunned any time of finance many years ago, so this feels like a bit of a step backwards. That being said there's no way I'm going to get a nice road bike any other way!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm management (but without underlings) so I might see if I can talk the MD into letting me start a scheme. I'm a little conflicted as me and the good wife shunned any time of finance many years ago, so this feels like a bit of a step backwards. That being said there's no way I'm going to get a nice road bike any other way!

Probably just as well

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Not sure what you mean, but you're probably correct

 

[srw]

I have minions....

 

[Sherwood]

I am on my third. MTB first (doesn't get used for riding to work), Second Dawes 'Gentleman's Bike' (goes t/f station) and third is a Trek Road Bike last week (also won't go near work)

My employer makes noises about having a window, but in reality it is all done through the Evans Website, and you get the voucher in a couple of hours at any time of year. Apart from Evans' lack of stock right now, the process was pretty painless.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I have minions....

Have you tried rubbing that cream you can get from the doctors on them?