Travel & Subsistence

[Lush!]

Accounts, blaaaaaaaaargh!

Does anybody know (Melanie?!!  ) how much can reasonably be claimed for meal allowance at shows, and what the per mile petrol allowance is please?

[Pam]

Fuel I think 40p is reasonable.
Meal: I think most of these things are "reasonable costs" and not specific.

[nemeton]

I usually just bung them the receipt on the rare occasions when I find time to eat at shows! And I claim 30p per mile (not sure where that figure came from, hope it was from my accountant!) and just keep a log of my business mileage.

[mjbelkin]

HMR&C allow you to claim 40p per mile for the first 10,000 miles in a tax year (6 April - 5 April), and the rest at 25p per mile. It covers running costs as well as fuel. If you're a sole trader what you can do is claim all of your vehicle costs (fuel, MOT, road tax, repairs, etc) and then for the tax disallow a percentage for private use.

As for food, you can claim whatever you spend on yourself. If you pay for anyone, and that's absolutely anyone, that isn't employed by your company, then its classed as entertaining and not tax deductable.

What you are also entitled to claim for any overnight travel (ie staying away from where you class your office/base as) is £5 per night personal incidental expense allowance (PIES) to cover things like newspapers, etc. If you're abroad its £10 per night.

[Lush!]

Thanks all - every penny counts 

I never think to keep receipts for stuff like a sandwich grabbed at the petrol station on the way to a show so I wanted to see if there was a kind of daily allowance to work to. 

Never heard of the PIES so thanks for that Melanie (sadly I didn't travel to any bead fairs abroad last year ... maybe next year  ).

[mjbelkin]

Thanks all - every penny counts  

I never think to keep receipts for stuff like a sandwich grabbed at the petrol station on the way to a show so I wanted to see if there was a kind of daily allowance to work to.  

Never heard of the PIES so thanks for that Melanie (sadly I didn't travel to any bead fairs abroad last year ... maybe next year  ).

The only way you can get a daily allowance, other than pies, is in a company where someone else approves your expenses. And even then it has to be approved by HMR&C.

[Lush!]

Hmm, okay ... so is it considered reasonable to bung in a £10 claim to cover subsistence for a full day show (lunch, snacks, drinks) ?  And say £20 for an overnight stay to cover dinner?  Plus PIES, plus hotel bill when relevant?

[Redhotsal]

wow - I never knew you could claim for pies! 

[Helen G]

I've been told you can even claim for books and magazines that are based on your trade, basically anything that a receipt can be provided for and is bought for use/consumption during the course of your work.

[mjbelkin]

Hmm, okay ... so is it considered reasonable to bung in a £10 claim to cover subsistence for a full day show (lunch, snacks, drinks) ?  And say £20 for an overnight stay to cover dinner?  Plus PIES, plus hotel bill when relevant?

Not really, you should have receipts or exact amounts for what it cost you.

[nemeton]

Yup, 'fraid you'll need all those petrol station sandwich receipts - and all your beading magazine ones 

[Lush!]

... maybe next year then ... 

[lorrainelee]

wow - I never knew you could claim for pies! 

How about scones or eclairs?? 

[mjbelkin]

wow - I never knew you could claim for pies! 

How about scones or eclairs?? 

So long as you keep the receipt and they were only for you, then yes.

[Lush!]

So long as you keep the receipt and they were only for you, then yes.

Spoken like an accountant