Bike to Work Scheme - overcoming delays?

PaleBlueGreen

My new commute is a horror on public transport and so I need to get myself a bike, quickly. However my employer (large cumbersome organization) tells me it will take six weeks or more for my bike to work application to be processed. According to the bike shops, and the letter of the scheme, I can’t actually get the bike until after my employer goes through all the steps and then pays them directly.

Does anyone know of any way I could get around this delay and still avail of the tax relief? I’d be happy to pay upfront and then be reimbursed but my employer tells me they can’t do this and can only pay the store directly. Does anyone know of any solution to this? Are there suppliers who would be happy to have me pay directly and be refunded when my employer finally pays up / give a credit card guarantee / some other way that I can get my bike now and still benefit from the a tax scheme?

Thanks

Boards.ie: Mark

Hi PaleBlueGreen, welcome to Boards. I see you've posted in the Cycling forum where people should be able to give you some advice, so I'll lock this thread up.