If you've been forced to work at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic you might be able to claim some of your household expenses on your income tax next year.

Tax accountants say people working from home can claim a portion of their home expenses if they are using part of their house for work purposes.

"The T-2200 is the form you have to fill out," said Scott Dupuis, tax partner at the Baker Tilly accounting firm.

The T-2200 form is a Declaration of Conditions of Employment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Employers must fill out the form and declare that they are not reimbursing employees for expenses in order for employees to get a deduction.

Dupuis said the amount to claim is calculated based on how much of the home or apartment is being used as a work space.

"If you have 10 rooms in your house and one room you're using for work purposes you would take one tenth of effectively all the expenses in your house," said Dupuis.

Scott Dupuis, managing partner with Baker Tilly Windsor. (Amy Dodge/CBC)

That would include expenses such as electricity, gas, property taxes and repairs

Dupuis said employees can claim 100 per cent of any items such as stationery or toner they had to buy for work purposes.

He says it's important to keep bills, receipts and statements to prove what your expenses were for the time period you had to work at home.

The T-2200 forms can be downloaded from the internet or obtained from an employer.

Meanwhile, the Canada Revenue Agency has extended the filing deadline for this year's taxes. Taxpayers have until June 1 to file and until August 31 to pay amounts owing.

There is more information on the CRA website at canada.ca.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/tax-return/completing-a-tax-return/deductions-credits-expenses/line-229-other-employment-expenses/commission-employees/work-space-home-expenses.html