Snacks, fruit and free lunches... Pt2

[ladymuck]

You could say this is what the trivial benefits thing is there for.

https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-bene...ivial-benefits

[malvolio]

You could say this is what the trivial benefits thing is there for.

https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-bene...ivial-benefits

Agreed, but that is conditional on you working more than 8 hours or so away from home. If you are WFH it's not allowable.

[ladymuck]

Agreed, but that is conditional on you working more than 8 hours or so away from home. If you are WFH it's not allowable.

Where does it say that in the information on the HMRC site, definitely not in the link I shared.

And AS said he's working from a co-working space not home.

[malvolio]

Where does it say that in the information on the HMRC site, definitely not in the link I shared.

And AS said he's working from a co-working space not home.

Subsistence is not classified as a trivial benefit; that is for one-off or occasional payments to an employee for things like Christmas parties and so on, to a limit of £300 a year. Or none at all if you are the director of a close company...

The £5 a day expenses allowance (£10 if overseas) is for subsistence and related small expenditures, if you are working way from home for a time longer than the standard work day (wonderfully imprecise but the cut off is generally taken to be working away for more than 8 hours plus your usual commute time) Since the OP is not at home but in a shared workspace in someone else's building then strictly speaking he can claim his lunch up to that limit if he's away from home long enough to qualify.

That would result in a net gain of £1 a day (or less if he doesn't spend the whole £5). or £260 a year if he works every day possible. So fill your boots. Personally I have never thought it worth the bother or the fairly minor risk of an expenses investigation by HMRC.

[northernladuk]

Big companys also pay for things to incentivise their staff that may not also be claimed against tax. OP's company can buy him all the snacks, lunches and whatever but it doesn't mean he can claim the tax back on it.

You just can't compare a large corp with a one man band. You need to apply a bit of common sense. Paying for stuff to incentivise staff and run a good company is a world away from a one man band looking at his tax bill.

I just want to be able to get a lunch time mayo-egg bacon sarnie, coke and crisps off my company as an expense

I mean, honestly. You got nothing better to to do than try save 60p and your time? You are in the top 0.1% of earners and are a director of your own company. Why are you dicking about expensing mayo-egg bacon sarnie and some fruit? That's just stupid.

If you are that tight for money they buy the stuff and make yourself the damn food. You'll save much more than 60p.... and no, buying the stuff to make a sandwich is not deductable.

[northernladuk]

OP might have actually tried asking his accountant first or doing a bit of interwebbing as well.

https://www.contractoruk.com/expense...d_company.html

If, however, by refreshments you mean general day-to-day subsistence (food and drink when working at a client’s site) costs, then this would not be a legitimate business cost while working from home.

You have to eat to live, not for business so eating at home is not a legitimate cost that is wholly and exclusively for the purpose of business.

OP. You need to start understanding what you do better.

[northernladuk]

An for that other guy, no, eating in the office not the kitchen does not make it a business expense

[Lance]

Driving to see the accountant, to ask the question, and having a sandwich en-route would be claimable though as it's a business trip.

HTH

[BlasterBates]

The fact that the OP has premises means that theoretically he does get the tax break.

https://www.mytipsandadvice.co.uk/20...DAR_EU15100501

If he provides refreshments in the leased office space this should actually qualify.

It wouldn't apply if you work at home or at the client's office.

[malvolio]

The fact that the OP has premises means that theoretically he does get the tax break.

https://www.mytipsandadvice.co.uk/20...DAR_EU15100501

If he provides refreshments in the leased office space this should actually qualify.

It wouldn't apply if you work at home or at the client's office.

I get the point but that strays into trivial benefits territory, and as a director of a close company and not an employee of one, those are specifically excluded.

But my main point stands - why is £1 or less a day worth all this anguish? What does engineering taxation rules to get it say about our claims to be operating as businesses?