Business class to fly back early from holiday for work

[bluepeter]

Hi

Im taking a long holiday at the moment for a few months. If a job comes up, can i reasonably take a long haul business flight back early, considering it may cost ££££ at short notice.

Thanks

[northernladuk]

You can buy what you want. I can't see that you can claim it as a business expense if that is what you are asking. You have to come home at some point so it won't pass thr wholly and exclusively rule.

[malvolio]

Hi

Im taking a long holiday at the moment for a few months. If a job comes up, can i reasonably take a long haul business flight back early, considering it may cost ££££ at short notice.

Thanks

Why not, it's your money. You and YourCo can spend what it likes on whatever it wants to. Although whether or not it counts as a BIK is another question...

I'd say it doesn't, since you wouldn't do it unless you had to get back very quickly, but I'm not an accountant.

[SeanT]

Deducting the cost of the flight you would have otherwise taken from the claim seems reasonable. Either that or travel both ways on the business (I've done this before, then returned from holiday via the usual route).

[northernladuk]

Deducting the cost of the flight you would have otherwise taken from the claim seems reasonable. Either that or travel both ways on the business (I've done this before, then returned from holiday via the usual route).

How can any of this appear to be reasonable to be claimed on the business? Returning from holiday isn't wholly and exclusively for the purpose of business so can't be claimable surely?

[WTFH]

Have you currently got a ticket home?
If so, is it flexible?
If you haven't got a ticket home, when were you planning on coming back, and when were you planning on buying the ticket to come back?

I'm struggling to see how you could put it through as a business expense when it sounds more like you want to fly home and get your company to pay for it.

If you are actively looking for work, then best to come home and do that - same timezone, etc.
If you are not actively looking for work, then don't answer the phone from agents, you're on holiday.

[TheFaQQer]

Does the flight count as something that is a business expense (ignoring the class of travel)?

I know of some companies where they have flown executives back to the UK for a meeting from their holiday and then flown them back to the holiday - they were needed in the UK to do the work, so it was a business expense. If you feel that your flight home fits that description (and I think it probably does if you are flying back to start a new contract, for example), then the flight is an allowable business expense without incurring a benefit in kind.

If the flight is an allowable business expense without incurring a BIK, the question of whether a business class flight is allowable or not is moot - the journey is what is considered for expense claims, not the cost of the journey. See HMRC EIM3185 for more details - although the example referenced there is train travel rather than a flight.

[SeanT]

How can any of this appear to be reasonable to be claimed on the business? Returning from holiday isn't wholly and exclusively for the purpose of business so can't be claimable surely?

Going from holiday destination -> place of work -> holiday destination is though.

[WTFH]

Does the flight count as something that is a business expense (ignoring the class of travel)?

I know of some companies where they have flown executives back to the UK for a meeting from their holiday and then flown them back to the holiday - they were needed in the UK to do the work, so it was a business expense. If you feel that your flight home fits that description (and I think it probably does if you are flying back to start a new contract, for example), then the flight is an allowable business expense without incurring a benefit in kind.

But that's not what he's saying.
He currently doesn't have a contract.
He is currently taking a holiday.

He's saying that if he was to be offered even an interview, could he buy a ticket to come home from his holiday to attend that interview and write it off as a business expense.

Or, to put it another way "If I buy a one way ticket to go on holiday, can I expense the return journey because I'll hopefully be working when I go home?"

[northernladuk]

Going from holiday destination -> place of work -> holiday destination is though.

Quite possibly if it matches TFs example but I read in to this he's on holiday while he's on the bench and will cut it short to come back home to work. He might decide after his 3 months or whatever he wants to go back on holiday but there is no way that fits the models explained.