Mileage receipts or HMRC rate?

[RockyBalboa]

Is that a quote from the actual contract, or just a procedural note by the agency?

That's from guidance.

The contract doesn't state anything about expenses. However, the schedule states:

‘The Consultancy is responsible for its own expenses incurred in the performance of this Agreement.’.

I queried this with the agency AND client and BOTH confirmed that:

'AGENCY X are unable to change the wording in the contract, you do however have the ability to claim expenses in system xxx and as long as these are approved in the system by your line manager AGENCY x will pay you this money and then claim funds back from the CLIENT.'

Since then, I have travelled and entered mileage into the system and had it approved by the 'manager'. The agency are now stating I need receipts and check with client. Client are now saying that having receipts falls in line with their company policy.. so I am confused - for example, if I give them a £100 receipt for petrol, that doesn't mean that was all business mileage, hence why I have always claimed HMRC rates. In addition, I haven't kept the petrol receipts.

I've emailed the CLIENT HR dept and now they are saying:

'Receipts need to be attached in system XXX in order for AGENCY to pay the expenses. We have advised AGENCY of this process as this falls in line with the group expense policy.'

[TykeMerc]

It's simple then, client process is expenses are payable ONLY with receipts to cover the mileage. No receipts, no payment. It's their process, their rules. See if anyone you know has suitable receipts, the client can't know and won't care if it's yours as long as it's for the right amount and period.

They will pay a rate entirely dictated by their rules, it may well be different from the HMRC rate, again, their process, their rules. Since the contract excludes paying expenses they're doing you a big favour offering to pay some as long as you comply with their rules.

Ask your accountant how to treat any differences and how to treat the cost to your business.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

What you bill the agency for as far as expenses goes is irrelevant to what you can claim back from YourCo tax free. Whether or not your fuel was also used for personal use, if agency and client have approved it, then bill for it.

Keep your claims from YourCo to the usual HMRC rates for actual business miles.

[RockyBalboa]

For completeness - the requirement was simply for fuel receipts (they did not need to match the actual mileage claimed at the normal rates).

[SueEllen]

For completeness - the requirement was simply for fuel receipts (they did not need to match the actual mileage claimed at the normal rates).

So ask anyone you know if they have a fuel receipt within the dates you need - just make sure:
a. It's for over the amount you want to claim
b. It's for the right fuel

[RockyBalboa]

So ask anyone you know if they have a fuel receipt within the dates you need - just make sure:
a. It's for over the amount you want to claim
b. It's for the right fuel

Yes, if you're not genuine; but if you are genuine point (a) doesn't matter - e.g. £60 in fuel will easily get me 200 miles whereas I'd actually be claiming 0.45 x 200 = £90.

[AMH]

if the end client are paying for Fuel, then it's reasonable for them wanting receipts as they will need proof to justify the payment.
You may want to keep a copy or give them a copy - but worth keeping a record/copy yourself.

I used to contract as a field engineer & had to send in my receipts to validate the expense & so their accounts are accurate.

Either Way, you should always collect & keep your fuel receipts. Sods law they will won't be needed if you have them, but will be needed if you dont. I usually snap them with my phones camera & upload them to dropbox - then file away in a plastic box thats full with all over receipts and stuff ive collected that year to hand to my accountant.

You can treat the money as income to your company & still pay yourself the 45p/25p limits.

[BolshieBastard]

OK so the OP was happily claiming mileage from the client \ agency but didnt retain receipts, now client \ agency are requesting receipts to substantiate the claims?

The OP is either going to have to bite the bullet and say as this is retrospective, he hasnt got the receipts anymore and risk having a clawback or, comes up with some form of receipts that satisfy client \ agent.

Personally, Id have charged a higher day rate to cover work related travel than fanny about with claiming mileage expenses and the tulipstorm that's likely to follow.

[ASB]

It is actually a vat issue. Enough receipts are required to reclaim the input vat.

My employer and s particularly akward about t and the dates that have to be on them.

ultimately the employer can put in place any policy they want. It doesn't have to be backed by something which has force of law.

[meridian]

Mileage receipts or HMRC rate?

Employer? Client, surely...

If it's a VAT issue then it should be covered in your invoice to the client. If you charge mileage back to the client at the HMRC rates then add this into your invoice and charge VAT on it.

If the expenses are being paid separately to your main invoice, then raise a separate invoice for the mileage claim and upload that to the expense system, so they have an invoice to pay against.