Gym membership

[b0redom]

Hi All,
Searched for this, but no one seems to have asked this specific question. I'm going to start commuting to a customer site by bike which has no showers. It's ~ 15 miles each way, so wet wipes etc are not an option.

It is possible to claim/part claim for gym membership based on the fact it's solely required for business use - after cycling ~ 150 miles in a week, I won't really want to hit the gym.

[malvolio]

Hi All,
Searched for this, but no one seems to have asked this specific question. I'm going to start commuting to a customer site by bike which has no showers. It's ~ 15 miles each way, so wet wipes etc are not an option.

It is possible to claim/part claim for gym membership based on the fact it's solely required for business use - after cycling ~ 150 miles in a week, I won't really want to hit the gym.

Of course it's possible. Just be sure to declare the extra income as a BIK so you can pay the tax on it. Although if you're going to get hot and sweaty after 15 miles in this weather, perhaps you should consider a different mode of transport.

HTH

[b0redom]

Well that was a singularly useless post. I realise I can claim for my pants if I want to pay BIK. My question was can I claim it as a legitimate expense, as it is solely and exclusively for business use - I'd be able to claim mileage if I were driving.

I would suggest if you're not sweating after cycling 15 miles, you're not cycling hard enough.

[captainham]

Hi All,
Searched for this, but no one seems to have asked this specific question. I'm going to start commuting to a customer site by bike which has no showers. It's ~ 15 miles each way, so wet wipes etc are not an option.

It is possible to claim/part claim for gym membership based on the fact it's solely required for business use - after cycling ~ 150 miles in a week, I won't really want to hit the gym.

Seriously?! Which part of your contract says that gym membership is a requirement?! It's your choice to cycle rather than any other form of transport, this has precisely nothing to do with running your business.

It's a BIK as Mal says, pure and simple.

[b0redom]

No part of my contract says I need to provide my own laptop. No part of my contract says I need to provide my own mobile phone. No part of my contact says I need to provide a car to drive to the customer site.

They are all expansible in full or part as a requirement of doing business.

[captainham]

The items you mention are only allowable expenses if HMRC says so, which is the case for mileage, business phone calls, etc.

There is no mention from HMRC that gym membership is allowed therefore it's not.

You're on the defensive because two people have told you what you don't want to hear. If you didn't want to hear the answer, why waste everybody's time by asking it.

Edit: correction, it is mentioned by HMRC, but of course it's still a BIK.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/paye/exb/a-z/s/sports.htm#2

[MayContainNuts]

No part of my contract says I need to provide my own laptop. No part of my contract says I need to provide my own mobile phone. No part of my contact says I need to provide a car to drive to the customer site.

They are all expansible in full or part as a requirement of doing business.

Where does it say in your contract that you have to have a shower? I wonder if I'm allowed to claim for toothpaste???

[b0redom]

Not on the defensive at all. My understanding was that expenses were allowable as long as they were 'solely and exclusively for the purposes of the business'.

Q. Would I need to join a gym so I can have a shower if I was not working in location X?
A. No

Therefore is it claimable? Dunno - which I why I asked. Neither Mal's post, nor your 1st post addressed this.

I've seen other people ask the question because they just want to be a member of a gym.

In any case if only HMRC defined expenses are allowable, that answers the question. Looks like I can claim milage @ 20p/mile which should cover the membership anyway.

[b0redom]

Where does it say in your contract that you have to have a shower? I wonder if I'm allowed to claim for toothpaste???

No, because you'd clean your teeth anyway. Facile argument.

[malvolio]

No, because you'd clean your teeth anyway. Facile argument.

I rather assume you wash yourself as well. So what's the difference between MCN's example and yours? Put it another way: why should my taxes fund your showers? 'Cos that's what you're actually asking for.

The rules are clear on business expenses, "wholly and exclusively". Which of those three words are you having trouble with?