Cycle to Work Scheme Benefits for Employers
Sep 26, 2022
The Cycle to Work Scheme is the employee benefit that saves you money while improving the focus and productivity of your staff. The city of Copenhagen reported that residents who cycled, requested 1 million fewer sick days a year. How would your business thrive with employees who are happy, healthy and engaged at work?
WHAT IS THE CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME?
The Cycle-To-Work scheme was introduced in 1999 by the UK Government to reduce pollution while promoting healthier journeys to work. The initiative has involved over 40,000 employers across the country and enabled over 1.6 million people to commute to work by bike.
The employer purchases the bike and the employee repays the cost through a salary sacrifice system. The employee makes great savings by making the repayments before tax deductions, and employers make savings on National Insurance. On average an employer will save £138 for every £1000 they process via the scheme. The bike is technically owned by the employer until the repayments are complete, after that arrangements can be made for the employee to take ownership.
A minimum of 50% of the bike’s usage must be for commuting to and from work. The employee is responsible for maintenance and security; it is recommended that they pay for the bike to be insured.
View more information on salary sacrifice:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/salary-sacrifice-and-the-effects-on-paye
Download guidance on the Cycle to Work Scheme for employers:
HOW CAN IT BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS?
Encouraging your staff to use active travel has many benefits. For employees it means cheaper travel and better health. For employers it means increased productivity and less staff sickness.
Offering employee benefits makes your business more desirable to employees. However, most staff perks come at a cost to the business, which isn’t always feasible. Enabling your staff to purchase a bike for their daily commute will save you money in staff sickness and in National Insurance contributions.
Staff who cycle to work arrive feeling refreshed and energised, as opposed to commuters who travel by car or on public transport. Employees who start their day getting fresh air and exercise rather than sitting in traffic have the opportunity to wake their brains up, process their thoughts and think clearly about the day ahead. Staff arriving mentally prepared for work are more likely to be productive, work well as part of a team and complete tasks efficiently.
Illness as an outcome of physical inactivity costs the NHS £1 billion a year, so the chances are it also affects your workforce. Having fit and healthy employees means less sick days to cover. Cycling improves cardiovascular health, strengthens the immune system, builds muscle and boosts mental health. Healthy and happy people make stronger, more capable employees.
E-bikes are enabling more people to cycle to work than ever before.
Travelling by e-bike is faster and steeper inclines are manageable with the pedal assist, making it easier to cycle to work no matter where you live. Previously it was only an option for people to cycle to work if their commute was short or if their workplace had shower facilities, but on an e-bike you can travel further without getting sweaty!
Introducing a cycle to work scheme also means fewer spaces will be needed for parking. Twenty bicycles can be parked in the same space as a single car, and think of the amount of time saved from staff lateness due to unexpected traffic or parking issues…
If you care about the environmental impact of your business, implementing a Cycle to Work scheme helps reduce your company’s carbon footprint. Promoting an eco-friendly transport initiative shows your organisation is taking action to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, ultimately benefiting the local community and environment. Businesses proving they have a positive effect on the environment gain respect from the public, which will likely result in growing sales.
WHAT IT COSTS AND HOW IT WORKS
The scheme costs you nothing to set up. The only initial cost is paying for the employee’s bike before it is repaid in instalments from their salary. Employers can then save on National Insurance contributions of up to 13% of the cost of the bike.
There are various schemes to sign up with, simply choose the one that best suits your business. The schemes are easy to access and don’t take much administration time to get things up and running.
- Register with your chosen Cycle to Work scheme
- Employee gets a quote for the bike and accessories they want
- Employer pays for a voucher for the amount of the bike package
- Employee pays for the bike package with the voucher
- Employee begins making repayments from their next pay cheque
TO GET YOUR EMPLOYEES ON THEIR BIKES, GIVE EITHER OF OUR SHOPS A CALL.
RideOn Penzance 01736 888777 or RideOn Newquay 01637 811811 to discuss further. We’re happy to help!
