Food Allowance

[Scotchpie]

I'm allowed to claim for my breakfast and lunch. The umbrella company doesn't need the receipts but suggests I keep them in case of an audit.

As I buy my breakfast at a small cafe on a small train station, whose "till" is nothing more than an old ice cream tub, and my dinner is bought from vending machines at the Clientco which I heat in a microwave oven, I cannot get receipts.

What can/should I do.

[TheFaQQer]

What can/should I do.

Hope you don't get an audit.

[expat]

I'm allowed to claim for my breakfast and lunch. The umbrella company doesn't need the receipts but suggests I keep them in case of an audit.

As I buy my breakfast at a small cafe on a small train station, whose "till" is nothing more than an old ice cream tub, and my dinner is bought from vending machines at the Clientco which I heat in a microwave oven, I cannot get receipts.

What can/should I do.

Change your diet.

[dang65]

I have this problem too because I often put some lunch together from various market stalls round here. Might end up spending ten euro, but would feel daft asking for a receipt for two apples, or a bit of cheese, or a bottle of Fanta, or whatever. I just claim an approximate amount and put "meal - no receipt" on my spreadsheet.

It would be a bit extreme to be pulled up on it in an investigation, one would think (though I realise that thinking is irrelevant in such cases). You have to eat something, after all, and unless you've put down for a stupid amount every day for three months or whatever then what is there to raise questions, really?

[Hex]

Carry a digital camera around with you and ensure you take a photograph each time you hand the money over. Make sure there is a copy of today's newspaper in the photograph with the date clearly visible. Also you should be absolutely sure that all coins and notes being handed over are clearly visible in the photograph.

Hope that helps.

[b0redom]

You have to eat something, after all...

Which points to the expense not being solely and exclusively for the benefit of the business? Or am I missing something?

[blacjac]

Which points to the expense not being solely and exclusively for the benefit of the business? Or am I missing something?

Breakfast I can understand, if you are out of the house sufficiently early to not be able to have breakfast at home.

But lunch?

My understanding is that you would need to provide lunch if you were at your normal place of work anyway, so claiming for it when you aren't is a no-no....

[pmeswani]

Breakfast I can understand, if you are out of the house sufficiently early to not be able to have breakfast at home.

But lunch?

My understanding is that you would need to provide lunch if you were at your normal place of work anyway, so claiming for it when you aren't is a no-no....

I believe the threshold is 7:30am and one can claim dinner if they are out of the house for more than 11 hours. This was applicable to me... not sure if it is applicable to everyone. This worked well for me for my recent contract.

[dang65]

Which points to the expense not being solely and exclusively for the benefit of the business? Or am I missing something?

Well, I'm only talking about when I work away from home, as I'm doing now. I don't claim any food allowance when I'm only twenty minutes up the road from my house.

And I refer to it as "meal", without specifying the time of day I consume it. Or do I have to include the railway station clock in the photo along with the newspaper?

[Scotchpie]

My umbrella's requirements for breakfast, lunch and dinner are:

breakfast - must leave the house before 7:30am

lunch: Clientco must be 5 or more miles away from home

dinner: must have stayed at work past 6:30pm.