Employee Benefits

If you use your own vehicle for business journeys you may be able to claim a tax-free allowance from your employer known as a Mileage Allowance Payment or MAP. The allowance is paid when employees use their own car, van, motorcycle or bike for work purposes. It is important to note that this tax-free allowance is not available for journeys to and from work but is available where employees use their own vehicles to undertake other business-related mileage. 

Employers usually make payments based on a set rate per mile depending on the mode of transport used. There are approved mileage rates published by HMRC. For cars, the approved mileage allowance payment for the first 10,000 business miles is 45p per mile and 25p per mile for every additional business mile. An equivalent payment of 20p per mile is available for bicycle travel and 24p per mile for motorcycle travel. These rates have been fixed for many years and HMRC has recently confirmed that they will continue to apply for the 2024-25 tax year.

If an employee travels with business colleagues, they can claim an additional 5p per passenger per business mile for each qualifying passenger. Where an employer pays less than the published rates, the employee can make a tax relief claim for the shortfall using Mileage Allowance Relief (MAR). There is no equivalent to MAR for passenger payments, which means if the employer pays less than 5p per mile to carry a passenger, the driver cannot claim any tax relief on the difference.

It is important to note that if employees are paid more than the approved mileage rates then the excess is treated as a BiK. Conversely, if employees are paid less than the published rates then they can make a tax claim for the shortfall using MAR. There is no equivalent to the MAR for passenger payments.

There is a requirement to notify HMRC if you make any company cars available for private use by company directors or employees. The definition of ‘Private use’ includes employees’ journeys between home and work unless they are travelling to a temporary place of work.

HMRC’s guidance states that you need to send a P46 (Car) form to HMRC if you:

• provide company cars to your employees
• stop providing a company car
• provide someone with an additional car

To send the form you can:

• fill it in online and send a printed copy to the address on the form
• use HMRC’s PAYE Online service for employers
• use your payroll software

You will also need to report on your end-of-year forms and pay Class 1A National Insurance on the value of the car benefit. The company will be liable to pay Class 1A NICs in respect of the provision of a company car based on the car benefit charges. Employers currently pay Class 1A NICs at the rate of 13.8%. There will also be additional Class 1A NICs due where the company pays for private use of fuel. 

Additionally, there is a requirement to notify HMRC if you replace a company car. This can be done using: HMRC’s PAYE Online service for employers, your payroll software or your end-of-year forms.

If you use your car or other vehicle to undertake business journeys on behalf of your employer, and your employer does not:

• Fully reimburse you for the business use, or
• Reimburses you but at a lower rate per mile than the approved HMRC rates (see below).

Then you may be able to make a claim to HMRC and reduce your overall tax bill.

HMRC’s notes on this topic are reproduced below:

Vehicles you use for work

You may be able to claim tax relief if you use cars, vans, motorcycles or bicycles for work.

This does not include travelling to and from your work unless it’s a temporary place of work.

How much you can claim depends on whether you’re using:

• a vehicle that you’ve bought or leased with your own money
• a vehicle owned or leased by your employer (a company vehicle)

You can claim for this tax year and the 4 previous tax years if you’re eligible.

Using your own vehicle for work

If you use your own vehicle or vehicles for work, you may be able to claim tax relief on the approved mileage rate. This covers the cost of owning and running your vehicle. You cannot claim separately for things like:

• fuel
• electricity
• vehicle tax
• MOTs
• repairs

To work out how much you can claim for each tax year you’ll need to:

• keep records of the dates and mileage of your work journeys;
• add up the mileage for each vehicle type you’ve used for work; and
• take away any amount your employer pays you towards your costs, (sometimes called a ‘mileage allowance’).

Approved mileage rates

Using a company car for business

You can claim tax relief on the money you have spent on fuel and electricity, for business trips in your company car. Keep records to show the actual cost of the fuel.

If your employer reimburses some of the money, you can claim relief on the difference.

How to claim

If you complete a self-assessment tax return, you must claim through your tax return instead.

An employee can obtain a benefit when provided with an employment-related cheap or interest-free loan. The benefit is the difference between the interest the employee pays, if any, and the commercial rate the employee would have to pay on a loan obtained elsewhere. These types of loans are referred to as beneficial loans.

There are a number of scenarios where beneficial loans are exempt and employers might not have to report anything to HMRC or pay tax and National Insurance. The most common exemption relates to small loans with a combined outstanding value to an employee of less than £10,000 throughout the whole tax year.

The exempt list also includes loans provided:

• in the normal course of a domestic or family relationship as an individual (not as a company you control, even if you are the sole owner and employee);
• to an employee for a fixed and invariable period, and at a fixed and invariable rate that was equal to or higher than HMRC’s official interest rate when the loan was taken out;
• under identical terms and conditions to the general public as well (this mostly applies to commercial lenders);
• that are ‘qualifying loans’, meaning all of the interest qualifies for tax relief; and
• using a director’s loan account as long as it is not overdrawn at any time during the tax year.

There are special rules for the provision of living accommodation for employees. In most cases, employees will pay tax on any living accommodation provided by an employer unless they qualify for an exception.

However, where an employee qualifies for an exemption, there is no tax to pay on the provision of living accommodation. The definition of living accommodation includes houses, flats, houseboats, holiday homes and apartments. It does not include hotel rooms or board and lodgings.

An exception for living accommodation will usually apply in the following cases:

• If it is domestic or personal
  • Accommodation is exempt if both:
    • you are an employer who is an individual, for example a sole trader; and
    • you are providing it for someone because they are a close relative – even if they happen to work in your business.
• If it is provided by a local council
  • Accommodation is exempt if a local council provides it on the same terms that it provides housing to non-employees.
• If it is necessary or usually provided for the job
• If it is needed for security

Other charges and costs

If the accommodation you provide is exempt, you do not have to report Council Tax, water and sewerage charges to HMRC, or pay National Insurance and tax.

There is a benefit-in-kind (BiK) trivial exemption that applies to small non-cash benefits like a bottle of wine, or a bouquet of flowers given occasionally to employees or any other BiK classed as 'trivial' that falls within the exemption. By taking advantage of the exemption employers can simplify the treatment of BiKs whilst at the same time offering a tax efficient way to give small gifts to employees.

The trivial benefit rules provide a great opportunity to give small rewards and incentives to employees as long as the gifts are not provided as a reward for services performed or as part of the employees’ duties. However, gifts to employees on milestone events such as the birth of a child or a marriage or other gestures of goodwill would usually qualify.

The employer also benefits as the trivial benefits do not have to be included on PAYE settlement agreements or disclosed on P11D forms. There is also a matching exemption from Class 1A National Insurance contributions.

The tax exemption applies to trivial BiKs where the BiK:

• is not cash or a cash-voucher; and
• costs £50 or less; and
• is not provided as part of a salary sacrifice or other contractual arrangement; and
• is not provided in recognition of services performed by the employee as part of their employment, or in anticipation of such services.

The rules also allow directors or other office-holders of close companies and their families to benefit from these gifts but with an annual cap of £300. The £50 limit remains for each gift subject to the £300 of non-cash benefits to be withdrawn per person per year. The £300 cap does not apply to employees. If the £50 limit is exceeded for any gift, the value of the benefit will be taxable.

The cost of a staff party or other annual entertainment is generally allowed as a deduction for tax purposes. If you meet the various criteria outlined below, then there is no requirement to report anything to HMRC or pay tax and National Insurance. There will also be no taxable benefit charged to employees.

1. An annual Christmas party or other annual event offered to staff generally is not taxable on those attending provided that the average cost per head of the function does not exceed £150.
2. The event must be open to all employees. If a business has multiple locations, then a party open to all staff at one of the locations is allowable. They can also have separate parties for separate departments, but employees must be able to attend one of the events.
3. There can be more than one annual event. If the total cost of these parties is under £150 per head, then there is no chargeable benefit. However, if the total cost per head goes over £150 then whichever functions best utilise the £150 are exempt and the others taxable. Note, the £150 is not an allowance and any costs over £150 per head are taxable on the full cost per head.
4. It is not necessary to keep a running total by employee but a cost per head per function. All costs including VAT must be considered. This includes the costs of transport to and from the event, food and drink and any accommodation provided.

It is highly recommended when planning a staff party or other annual event to try and stick to the tax rules above. This should ensure that your party does not have an extra tax cost for you or your employees.

HMRC has published revised guidance concerning the charging of company cars and vans at residential properties. HMRC had previously maintained that the reimbursement of costs in relation to charging a company car or van at a residential property was a taxable benefit. This advice seemed at odds with the exemption on payments and benefits provided in connection with company cars and vans laid out in the relevant legislation.

HMRC has now confirmed, following a review of their position, that the electric charging of company vehicles at home base can now be treated as a tax-free benefit.

HMRC has published revised guidance about this change in interpretation and has stated that:

Following a review of our position, HMRC now accepts reimbursing part of a domestic energy bill, which is used to charge a company car or van, will fall within the exemption provided by section 239 ITEPA 2003.

This means that no separate charge to tax under the benefits code will arise where an employer reimburses the employee for the cost of electricity to charge their company car or van at home. 

HMRC has also said that the exemption will only apply where it can be demonstrated that the electricity was used to charge the company car or van.  Employers will need to make sure that any reimbursement made towards the cost of electricity relates solely to the charging of their company car or van.

Companies may use incentive award schemes to encourage their employees in various ways. For example, to sell more of their own goods and services. The award can be in forms including cash, vouchers or other gifts.

Where an employer meets the tax payable on a non-cash incentive award given to a direct employee, by entering into a PAYE settlement agreement (PSA), the award is not chargeable to tax on the employee.

With the exception of non-cash awards covered by a PSA, the incentive awards made to employees are chargeable as employment income. The value of these awards is calculated as follows:

Cash
The value to use is the total amount of cash awarded.

Vouchers
If the award consists of vouchers, then the value to use is the full cost to the provider of making the award.

Other gifts
If the award is something other than vouchers, then the charge is usually the full cost to the provider of making the award. There are certain exceptions for the low paid.

There are also concessions which HMRC makes to enable you to say thank you to staff including encouragement awards, suggestion schemes and to reward long service.

Where an employee with a company car is provided with fuel for their own private use by their employers, the default position is that the employee is required to pay the car fuel benefit charge. The charge is determined by reference to the CO2 rating of the car applied to a fixed amount, currently £27,800. For example, a CO2 rating of 150g/km would create a taxable benefit of £9,730.

The car fuel benefit charge is not applicable when the employee pays for all their private fuel, this includes commuting to and from work. Employees should keep a log of private mileage and can then use the published advisory fuel rates to repay the cost of fuel used for private travel to their employer. In this case, HMRC will accept that there is no car fuel benefit charge, and the employee will save the Income Tax charge on the private car fuel. It will usually be much cheaper to repay your employer for private fuel rather than to pay the Income Tax charge especially if private mileage is relatively low.

The advisory fuel rates are intended to reflect actual average fuel costs and are updated quarterly. However, the use of the advisory fuel rates is not binding if the employer can demonstrate that employees cover the full cost of private fuel by repaying at a lower rate per mile. There is also a lower advisory rate if the company car is fully electric.