Subsistence, Meals and a short term contract?

[Bradley]

I don't really know. There's a good chance the contract might be renewed (depending on several factors - not just my performance) and there's also a small chance the agency I am employed through might put me forward for another contract (some of the people I work with have had several contracts through the same agency). How exactly does this disqualification work?

Try http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/EIM32126.htm

[Lucifer Box]

Funnily enough SJD gave me some advice regarding dividend splits (husband and wife) which was based on HMRC's case against Artic (though our circumstances were somewhat different). I didn't agree with the advice given so I rang HMRC help line - they gave me different advice, more favourable to myself because our circumstances are different as my wife is a fee earner, although not as high as me, she still works the same hours give or take so her input is equal in effort if not revenue. The person from HMRC admitted that the whole thing is one big grey area and they don't know themselves what is going on (the staff) because they had just lost the case and were considering an appeal. It must be very difficult for people like SJD to give advice which is probably why they air on the cautious side.

err

[bingocaller88]

Has anything changed about this - like can an umbrella company employee still not claim expenses unless they have more than one temporary workplace through the same umbrella company?

thanks

[TykeMerc]

Has anything changed about this - like can an umbrella company employee still not claim expenses unless they have more than one temporary workplace through the same umbrella company?

thanks

That's never been the case.

If you're contracting at a temporary work place i.e. away from your "normal" place of work (home usually) then you can usually claim travel and subsistance as long as you've not been (or don't have a reasonable expectation to) at that location for 24 months.

Ask your umbrella and if they can't give clear and concise guidelines then find another umbrella or do some research and set up your own Ltd with a competant accountant.

[Grinder]

The 2 year rule only applies if you spend 60% or more of your time at the site.

I do 3 days a week on site, staying 2 nights in a b&b. The rest of the time I work from home - 2 days for the same client and 1 day administration, CPD & business networking.

I wonder how they measure the 60%?

[bingocaller88]

That's never been the case.
If you're contracting at a temporary work place i.e. away from your "normal" place of work (home usually) then you can usually claim travel and subsistance as long as you've not been (or don't have a reasonable expectation to) at that location for 24 months.

OK, thanks. I'm trying to understand how an umbrella employee differs from an office temp (working through the agency payroll) in terms of expenses.

If an office temp works in an office 30 miles from home, train expenses aren't tax deductible.
If an umbrella employee works in the same office 30 miles from home, train expenses are tax-deductible on the basis that she normally works at home?

Is this right?

Ask your umbrella and if they can't give clear and concise guidelines then find another umbrella or do some research and set up your own Ltd with a competant accountant.

Thanks; I'm employed but just looking at the options