Benefit in Kind - Electricity paid for by employer

[Bronte]

If one's employer pays for one's utilities would that be considered a benefit in kind?

 

[DB74]

Yes I would think so

 

[sam h]

Not an expert, but if you were expected to work from home, surely it would be a reasonable expense for the employer to pay a % contribution to the ESB & heating.

 

[J.Ryan]

The Op didn't state that it was a working from home position, under most circumstances it would be a BIK and should be treated as such.

 

[Bronte]

To clarify. If one is an employee working at the employers place of business and in addtion to a salary one's employer pays for all or part of one's utilities is that BIK. Would the employer have to then deduct it from the paycheck via the PAYE system.

 

[Towger]

Yes, but you never know with the semistates. They are a law on to them selves.

 

[Bronte]

Yes, but you never know with the semistates. They are a law on to them selves.

Even so, at the end of the day the tax law is the law. Do semi states have an exemption from paying BIK. Do revenue not have an obligation to pursue it?

 

[Towger]

See Employers Guide to BIK

Free or Subsidised Accommodation

Where the employer meets any of the costs associated with the provision of living accommodation, e.g. cost of light or heat, a taxable benefit will arise on the amount met by the employer and not made good by the employee.

Other Benefits

Staff Discounts

Price above cost to the employer

• A discount, given by an employer (e.g. an employer in the retail sector) on the purchase of goods by an employee, is not regarded as a taxable benefit if the sum paid by the employee is equal to or greater than the cost to the employer of acquiring or manufacturing the goods and
• The goods cannot reasonably be converted into money or money's worth.

Price below cost to the employer

Where goods are sold below the employer's cost and the goods cannot reasonably be converted into money or money's worth, the difference between that cost and the price paid is a taxable benefit and PAYE and PRSI must be operated on this amount.
Note: Staff availing of such discount may not avail of small benefit concession in the same year of assessment.

There are a list of exemptions, these are items with are/were generaly available to the Public Sector; eg Laptops (but not desktops), professional subscriptions, newspapers, periodicals and Creche/childcare (this may be going) etc which are exempt for everyone.

 

[Complainer]

Yes, but you never know with the semistates. They are a law on to them selves.

Not really. Revenue enforce the tax laws.

 

[ajapale]

Yes, but you never know with the semistates. They are a law on to them selves.

What have "semistates" got to do with the original question? There is nothing to suggest in the question what the status of the employer is.

 

[Bronte]

Not really. Revenue enforce the tax laws.

Revenue don't always enforce all tax laws.

 

[Towger]

Revenue also do deals with some employers, where the employer pays over an agreed figure to cover the BIK, rather than charge each employee individually. For example in large supermarket chains employees may give a fixed staff discount, it would take major rewrite of all the computer systems to work out if the employee's discount on each item brings the employees price to less than the employers cost price. Especially then you add sale prices, 3 for 2 offers, bulk discounts and hello money into the mix etc.

 

[Complainer]

Revenue don't always enforce all tax laws.

I don't think any regulatory or enforcement body anywhere in the world ALWAYS enforces ALL laws, so that's not really a fair measure.

If you are aware of anyone breaking tax law, give Revenue a call. They'll take it from there.