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Giant won't accept receipted claims for evening meals with overnight stay - why?

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    Giant won't accept receipted claims for evening meals with overnight stay - why?

    I've recently joined Giant after many years with Parasol. One aspect of Giant's expenses policy that truly puzzles me is that, if staying away from home to fulfill a contract, an expenses claim for the B&B/hotel can be made (up to quite a generous limit) BUT a claim for an associated evening meal CANNOT! Instead, there is a £10 'two-meals' per day allowance (unreceipted) that may be claimed (covering both lunch and a late meal).

    At face value, this is inconsistent with HMRC's own policy on evening meal claims, which allows for 'reasonable costs' to be claimed. (And indeed, Parasol for example allows it.) Furthermore, that £10 per day allowance seems to be directed more for those who travel to work from home then back again at the end of the day.

    So, what's going on here? Giant simply tells me that that's their policy and that's the end of it. I don't think it's right. What do others think? Anyone else faced this issue when working through Giant?

    #2
    Originally posted by threespines View Post
    I've recently joined Giant after many years with Parasol. One aspect of Giant's expenses policy that truly puzzles me is that, if staying away from home to fulfill a contract, an expenses claim for the B&B/hotel can be made (up to quite a generous limit) BUT a claim for an associated evening meal CANNOT! Instead, there is a £10 'two-meals' per day allowance (unreceipted) that may be claimed (covering both lunch and a late meal).

    At face value, this is inconsistent with HMRC's own policy on evening meal claims, which allows for 'reasonable costs' to be claimed. (And indeed, Parasol for example allows it.) Furthermore, that £10 per day allowance seems to be directed more for those who travel to work from home then back again at the end of the day.

    So, what's going on here? Giant simply tells me that that's their policy and that's the end of it. I don't think it's right. What do others think? Anyone else faced this issue when working through Giant?
    Allowances for meals, if the umbrella company is using scale rates, will be determined by their dispensation which will have been issued by HMRC. If they are using scale rates for accommodation the same will apply. Scale rates were introduced by HMRC for their own staff - rather than having to deal with the paperwork for thousands of employees claiming small amounts of money for subsistence when travelling they said that you didn't need to produce receipts but instead could claim £4.95 per day. If it was found that you were claiming it but not incurring a cost then it was a disciplinary offence. This policy was taken up by some umbrella companies - they provide a sample of receipts gathered over, say, a 3 month period and a dispensation will be issued for an average of the costs incurred and then scale rates could be applied to all workers who had an entitlement.
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      #3
      Originally posted by LisaContractorUmbrella View Post
      Allowances for meals, if the umbrella company is using scale rates, will be determined by their dispensation which will have been issued by HMRC. If they are using scale rates for accommodation the same will apply. Scale rates were introduced by HMRC for their own staff - rather than having to deal with the paperwork for thousands of employees claiming small amounts of money for subsistence when travelling they said that you didn't need to produce receipts but instead could claim £4.95 per day. If it was found that you were claiming it but not incurring a cost then it was a disciplinary offence. This policy was taken up by some umbrella companies - they provide a sample of receipts gathered over, say, a 3 month period and a dispensation will be issued for an average of the costs incurred and then scale rates could be applied to all workers who had an entitlement.
      But £10 per day, to cover both lunch and a meal in a hotel ...?

      Regardless, I get the idea of scale rates but Parasol, for example, permits either unreceipted claims using the daily allowance OR receipted claims if the allowance is exceeded. Giant won't permit the latter. I suppose my real question is, why not?! Thanks.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by threespines View Post
        But £10 per day, to cover both lunch and a meal in a hotel ...?

        Regardless, I get the idea of scale rates but Parasol, for example, permits either unreceipted claims using the daily allowance OR receipted claims if the allowance is exceeded. Giant won't permit the latter. I suppose my real question is, why not?! Thanks.
        Basically because if the cost isn't covered by their dispensation they'd have to file a P11D with HMRC
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          #5
          Originally posted by threespines View Post
          ...an expenses claim for the B&B/hotel can be made (up to quite a generous limit) BUT a claim for...
          I first read that as "an expenses claim for the B&B/hotel can be made up...", and was about to give a hot response on the subject of making up false expense claims, whoops...

          Comment


            #6
            They are your employer and can have whatever policy they like. Quite simple really.

            obviously that policy, whatever it is, has consequences.

            strictly whatever you receive in expenses payments is taxable income. The claimable expenses - which often match - are then an allowance reducing your tqxable income. Depending on circumstance thes may or may not need to he reported on your satr.

            this is a lng winded wayof saying "what you have failed to claim from your employer can be claimed on your satr".

            This at least gets the tax back. You are still effectively out of pocket by the ni though.

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              #7
              Go Ltd HTH.

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                #8
                It's a temporary problem - after April 2016 you won't be claiming for hotel or expenses.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by mudskipper View Post
                  It's a temporary problem - after April 2016 you won't be claiming for hotel or expenses.
                  Please explain!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by threespines View Post
                    Please explain!
                    Search the site.

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