Training a new employee

[dang65]

Yes, but clearly from the context and content of your posts, the only reason you are sending her on the course as an "employee" of the company is so you can get the tax relief on it.

And if its obvious to us - it'd be obvious to the tax man during an investigation.

But she would be an employee, not an "employee". What actually decides this anyway? Is there a law, or is it down to how paranoid the tax man is feeling on a particular day? I'd have said that employee training was a perfectly legitimate expense.

[pmeswani]

???

I'm talking about Microsoft Office courses. These would be required to gain the skills to create invoices, expenses spreadsheets etc. That's as relevant to my business as it is to any other business which sends its employees on such courses.

It doesn't have to be relevant to the current work or clients does it? I mean, people here go on re-skilling training courses which don't have anything directly to do with current work. They are investments towards future growth and revenue.

As I said.... Relevant to the business or the client. One or the other or both. However, if she is employed, went on the courses and then left, how would it be beneficial to the business or the client? The HMRC would look upon the training as a method of, as already stated by another poster, Tax Evasion. You have to demonstrate that the employee has added some value to the business prior to the training and after the training. If you can't prove it, then what are you going to do? Find some other excuse?

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

If its only an Office course - and therefore presumably not a lot of money - is it really worth the hassle - the tax savings may not be very much anyway.

Or, if it is expensive, can she not get a training grant from the local enterprise company?

[pmeswani]

If its only an Office course - and therefore presumably not a lot of money - is it really worth the hassle - the tax savings may not be very much anyway.

Or, if it is expensive, can she not get a training grant from the local enterprise company?

www.cvision.co.uk has some useful CBT courses. http://www.cvision.co.uk/search.aspx?key=office

Fairly cheap as well.

[dang65]

You have to demonstrate that the employee has added some value to the business prior to the training and after the training. If you can't prove it, then what are you going to do?

Well, if that's really the case then the answer to the original question ("Could I employ her, send her on a load of courses using company money, then sack her?") is: No.

[pmeswani]

Well, if that's really the case then the answer to the original question ("Could I employ her, send her on a load of courses using company money, then sack her?") is: No.

Which is what people have been saying all along, but I have spoon fed the info. Sorry, having am having a bad day. I didn't get a contract with RBS. Would have got me off the bench.

[Dante]

I think that for them to be allowable for tax relief they have to be enhancing a current skill rather than retraining in another...

Precisely how the revenue can know what skills you have and don't have is beyond me.

Why not just 'purchase online' some CBT's. A much safer and cheaper option and she can do them as life allows. For MS Office apps and such like they are fine.