Cycle Plus
This is a salary sacrifice scheme which provides an Income tax and National Insurance efficient way to pay towards the hire of a bicycle (and associated safety equipment) for 12 months. The bicycle obtained under the scheme is mainly to be used for commuting to work by the participating employee.
HOW CYCLE PLUS WORKS
You sacrifice (give up) part of your annual salary to cover the hire of a bicycle (and associated safety equipment) for 12 months.
For the initial 12 month hire period the bicycle will be hired from the scheme provider, Halfords. The monthly payments towards the hire of the bicycle will be taken directly from your monthly salary and will cover the cost of the certificate value.
After the 12 month period, you have three options:
- Return the bicycle to the scheme provider, Halfords, who are based in Worcestershire;
- Continue to use the bicycle and hire from Halfords by signing an “Extended Use Agreement”. There are no further monthly deductions, or other payments.
- Take ownership of the bike paying Halfords either 18% or 25%* of the certificate value.
*The lower figure relates to a certificate value of less than £500 and the higher figure relates to a figure of £500 and above.
Please follow this link for a quick and simple guide to Cycle2.Work from Halfords.
ELIGIBILITY
You can participate in this benefit, provided that you do not earn less than the Pay Protection Limit (see Benefits Plus: frequently asked questions), or if your earnings would fall below the National Minimum Wage.
If you participate in any other parts of Benefits Plus then these will also be taken into account when deciding if you can participate in Cycle Plus (see Benefits Plus: frequently asked questions for more details).
Those who have a standard parking permit through the Car Parking Scheme are not eligible to participate in Cycle Plus. Occasional use parking permit holders may still be eligible to participate in Cycle Plus should they meet all other eligibility criteria.
Cycle Plus can be selected by employees who have at least 12 months remaining on their employment contract.
If you leave employment before the end of the initial 12 month hire agreement, the outstanding balance would be repayable immediately and, if possible, it would be deducted from your last net salary payment, meaning you would not have benefited from Income tax and National Insurance savings on any outstanding balance.
If you leave employment during the “Extended Use” period, as your contract is directly with Halfords the contract and bicycle will transfer with you.
Please note that although you do not have legal ownership of the equipment during the hire agreement, it will be your responsibility to adequately insure and maintain the bicycle. Please also note, that the scheme does not allow to obtain bicycles for use by other than the participating employee.
For quick answers to common questions please follow this link Cycle to Work Scheme - Questions answered.
HOW DO I APPLY
- Find your local partner shop using our search facility at www.cycle2work.info/bg_C2WStoreMap
- Partner shops are not only Halfords shops, but also a number of local and UK bicycle retailers as well as online retailer www.tredz.co.uk
- Visit the shop and choose your bike and approved safety equipment, to identify the value of certificate (‘Letter of Collection’ or ‘LoC’) you want to apply for. If you can't find what you are looking for, the Halfords helpdesk will support you to source specific bicycles or bicycles with similar specification in similar price range - phone 0345 504 6444 or email cycle2.work@halfords.co.uk
- Log into MyLifestyle Platform www.edenred.uk.com using the Edenred log-in details you were provided with.
-> These are NOT your work email address and password.
-> All staff members were issued with a specific Edenred password by email on the 3rd July 2020.
-> If you have not received this because you have started with the University after that date, please contact the HR team on Helpdesk.
- Cycle to work can be found in the mybenefits tab. Complete the online application.
- Once the online application is submitted, the University will check your eligibility, ask you to sign a Cycle Plus condition sheet and approve (or, if not eligible, decline) your request.
- After approval by the University, Halfords will send you the ‘Letter of Collection’ by email.
- You redeem the letter of collection in the bike shop upon production of photographic ID.
CHANGING YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Please note that by participating in Cycle Plus you are agreeing to reduce your gross contractual salary by the value of the cycle equipment hired and you are agreeing to a change to your terms and conditions of employment with the University.