Personal conference trip that is morphing into business trip

[ItRYmyBEst]

Hi, I've booked to go on a personal conference trip for my own interest for no business reasons. I paid the booking for this via personal account.

However I recent got brought on board as a potential CTO of a startup and am now going to use this conference to market this new business. Can I now use my current limited company to fund all this trip and expenses foe the benefit of the new startup (we don't have bank account yet)? Can I also pay the conference fees back into my personal account.

[Snarf]

I would have thought so, yes.

[SueEllen]

Your current limited company isn't related to the new limited company so no.

However how come the conference has absolutely no relation to the work you do through your current limited company? Is it not related to any technology or market sector your company works in?

[BlasterBates]

I would talk to your accountant. If this is part of a new business venture you want the expenses to be booked against that rather than your existing Ltd. I would phone your accountant on this one. Maybe he can setup a company for your new venture. He could also advise as to whether you could book them against your current Ltd.

[northernladuk]

How much are you talking? If you are gonna be save a few 10s of pounds I wouldn't bother. Making contacts out of the blue doesn't really make it a business trip so it's borderline depending on savings for me.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

If you are 'potentially' the new CTO of a start up i.e nothing has been agreed and finalised and the conference is of no relevance to your existing business then I would say no

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

By your own admission the original purpose was nothing to do with business so even if it may have legitimately gained an extra purpose I'd say it fails the basic "wholly and exclusively" rule.

[LondonManc]

By your own admission the original purpose was nothing to do with business so even if it may have legitimately gained an extra purpose I'd say it fails the basic "wholly and exclusively" rule.

This. You've booked the trip for a specific purpose. The fact that you can take advantage of this trip for other purposes should be viewed as brownie points for your new opportunity.