Limited company and Subsitance

[Lewis]

No you cant claiming all that!! Only mileage as far as I was aware

I think some people claim a fixed amount per month for having an office at home to cover utility bills, telephone etc.. I think there is a figure that HMRC think is ok but I don't know what it is ... what amount do people claim (if any)?

[misterlamott]

Seconded, thirded and fourthed! Lunch shouldn't be claimed.

My accountant has said you can't, plus after a debate with a colleague who *thought* he could claim lunch through his limited as an expense (and subsequently contracted his accountants for confirmation), the answer is definitely a no.

The only money saving tip here is to go on a diet

[FiveTimes]

Seconded, thirded and fourthed! Lunch shouldn't be claimed.

My accountant has said you can't, plus after a debate with a colleague who *thought* he could claim lunch through his limited as an expense (and subsequently contracted his accountants for confirmation), the answer is definitely a no.

The only money saving tip here is to go on a diet

When working under an MSC they ask to keep keep track of working days over 5 hours and over 10 hours including travelling. OK I accept that lunch is questionable, but I've read about subsitance being allowed if working day is over 10 hours ?

[Burdock]

When working under an MSC they ask to keep keep track of working days over 5 hours and over 10 hours including travelling. OK I accept that lunch is questionable, but I've read about subsitance being allowed if working day is over 10 hours ?

I'm still trembling from what Giant encouraged me to do in my naive days....

about a tenner a day for lunch, "no receipts needed"...!!!

luckily it was only a 5 week gig, but i still feel a right plum

Oh, and to answer your question, I have no idea how they reckoned it was all above board.

[malvolio]

When working under an MSC they ask to keep keep track of working days over 5 hours and over 10 hours including travelling. OK I accept that lunch is questionable, but I've read about subsitance being allowed if working day is over 10 hours ?

We don't care what MSCs sell their clients on, and nor should you. The HMRC rules are clear, it's for overnight stays or, at the very least, a very long day.

The other point you need to get your head around is that with your own company you can pay yourself whatever the hell expenses you like on whatever basis you like. The only question is whether or not it represents a BIK and therefore is taxed at normal rates. That's why MSCs tell you to claim eveything, they don't care about you not paying taxes on BIKs since it's not them getting prosecuted...

[Orangutan]

Thanks All
I have to admit to having been naively claiming for lunch.
in my defence, Giant told me to - what a muppet !

Please tell me that travel to and from client location is ok to claim for.

[Old Greg]

When working under an MSC they ask to keep keep track of working days over 5 hours and over 10 hours including travelling. OK I accept that lunch is questionable, but I've read about subsitance being allowed if working day is over 10 hours ?

'Normally an employee claiming a lunch meal allowance would be expected to be away from his/her base for a period of more than five hours and covering the normal lunch time period of 12pm to 2pm. To claim an evening meal allowance an employee would normally be expected to be away from base for more than 10 hours and unable to return to base or home before 7pm and as a result of the late return is required to have an evening meal.'

Not from an MSC but fron the 'NHS terms and conditions
of service handbook'. Given that these subsistence allowances are not taxable, these should in theory apply to contractors away from their base (i.e. home office). However, I don't intend to test this theory and get into a row with HMRC so I'm not claiming this.

[Vito]

'Normally an employee claiming a lunch meal allowance would be expected to be away from his/her base for a period of more than five hours and covering the normal lunch time period of 12pm to 2pm. To claim an evening meal allowance an employee would normally be expected to be away from base for more than 10 hours and unable to return to base or home before 7pm and as a result of the late return is required to have an evening meal.'

Not from an MSC but fron the 'NHS terms and conditions
of service handbook'. Given that these subsistence allowances are not taxable, these should in theory apply to contractors away from their base (i.e. home office). However, I don't intend to test this theory and get into a row with HMRC so I'm not claiming this.

I never claimed for lunch when I was an employee for another company because I thought it was taking the mick, so I ain't gonna do it now.

I claim mileage/train/parking and I claim anything connected with overnight stays (i.e. hotels, evening meals and breakfast)...I do also have my broadband and mobile in the company name and I claimed for the Laptop I use for company use (but not my home desktop)...but thats it...I don't claim for stationary (for the pennies it amounts to I can't be bothered) and I don't claim for using my office (within my house) as I use it no more now than when I was an employee with another company so can't justify claiming.

I'm sure there is loads I can claim for other than this but it surely can't be worth the hassle??

[Old Greg]

I never claimed for lunch when I was an employee for another company because I thought it was taking the mick, so I ain't gonna do it now.

I claim mileage/train/parking and I claim anything connected with overnight stays (i.e. hotels, evening meals and breakfast)...I do also have my broadband and mobile in the company name and I claimed for the Laptop I use for company use (but not my home desktop)...but thats it...I don't claim for stationary (for the pennies it amounts to I can't be bothered) and I don't claim for using my office (within my house) as I use it no more now than when I was an employee with another company so can't justify claiming.

I'm sure there is loads I can claim for other than this but it surely can't be worth the hassle??

Agree, but am still mulling over home office.

[claudius]

How about claiming for breakfast or evening meal if you work shifts?

I'm currently on an operations contract working alternate shifts of 07:00 to 14:30 or 14:00 to 21.30(this over runs quite often by at least an hour)

Total travel time is an hour each way (2 hours)