Lunch expenses

[Willapp]

Okay now I see why so many people are confused!

In short what you're saying is: If you operate via a LTD, and you claim travel expenses to a temporary place of work and aren't caught by the 24 month rule, then claiming subsistence is allowed and the only reason *not* to do it is personal choice at the 'hassle' of receipting expenses and submitting them in your annual accounts.

If this is correct then I might actually start claiming for lunch after all... I usually eat on-site in the canteen and probably average £6-8 a day so I can see that adding up to a reasonable saving in tax.

[pr1]

Okay now I see why so many people are confused!

In short what you're saying is: If you operate via a LTD, and you claim travel expenses to a temporary place of work and aren't caught by the 24 month rule, then claiming subsistence is allowed and the only reason *not* to do it is personal choice at the 'hassle' of receipting expenses and submitting them in your annual accounts.

If this is correct then I might actually start claiming for lunch after all... I usually eat on-site in the canteen and probably average £6-8 a day so I can see that adding up to a reasonable saving in tax.

you've got until april - get collecting

[PerfectStorm]

Okay now I see why so many people are confused!

In short what you're saying is: If you operate via a LTD, and you claim travel expenses to a temporary place of work and aren't caught by the 24 month rule, then claiming subsistence is allowed and the only reason *not* to do it is personal choice at the 'hassle' of receipting expenses and submitting them in your annual accounts.

If this is correct then I might actually start claiming for lunch after all... I usually eat on-site in the canteen and probably average £6-8 a day so I can see that adding up to a reasonable saving in tax.

If there is an onsite canteen and you make use of it, it could be argued that you're in receipt or an employee benefit

[PermMCCon]

The Perfect Storm lady is only partly right:

If your canteen is subsidised, then yes you are taking advantage of an employee benefit. If it comes to an investigation, Mr Taxman may use that against you and lets face it he would be right to be fair. Either eat outside client site or if its all uber cheap, suck it up and pay yourself.

Lets face it - common sense prevails:

- You run a Ltd Company, your company address is (likely to be) your Accountants or your home. That is where you are based. You work from client site which is 10 miles or 100 miles away. I claim lunch. I am on client site, not on Ltd company site hence they pay while I am away from my place of work
- I work from home, no claim
- If you have time to make your packed lunch each day, great well done. Between v long hours on client site/work and everything else, I spend the time with family and other things

Is it really that much of a pain claiming and keeping the receipts? Its hardly rocket science and takes about 2 hours a year to input into an xls.

For me, its not about the tax position; I see it as a genuine expense to my Ltd company being on client site working long hours and me as a Director making a choice that yes, my Company will pay for staff lunches (to a limit obviously, no Michelin Star restaurant allowed) when we are on client site.

My 2 cents

[pr1]

If your canteen is subsidised, then yes you are taking advantage of an employee benefit. If it comes to an investigation, Mr Taxman may use that against you and lets face it he would be right to be fair. Either eat outside client site or if its all uber cheap, suck it up and pay yourself.

in this case of a subsidised canteen, it's only whether or not you're allowed/entitled to use it, not whether you actually use it, that matters

[Willapp]

FWIW I don't believe the canteen is subsidized, it's staffed by external employees and not really cheaper than you'd expect to pay offsite but the food is nice and it's convenient. Point taken though maybe it's an unnecessary risk and I could limit claims to offsite meals only.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

In short what you're saying is: If you operate via a LTD, and you claim travel expenses to a temporary place of work and aren't caught by the 24 month rule, then claiming subsistence is allowed and the only reason *not* to do it is personal choice at the 'hassle' of receipting expenses and submitting them in your annual accounts.

Pretty much sums it up, although as this thread shows some people seem to think not claiming lunch is the right thing to do. That's still their choice.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

If there is an onsite canteen and you make use of it, it could be argued that you're in receipt or an employee benefit

Surely not if you have to pay for it?

If you're worried about the effect it has on your IR35 status then I think you have bigger things to worry about. If your client is big enough to have its own canteen facilities then why wouldn't you use them? Do you also leave the building to go for a tulip too?

Whether its a "canteen" where you have to pay for meals or just a small kitchen where you can help yourself to free soft drinks/tea/coffee/biscuits, I don't let this sort of stuff bother me. If your clients policy is to allow all employees and contractors make use of their facilities or help themselves to drinks from the fridge then its not really a differentiator.

[PerfectStorm]

Pretty much sums it up, although as this thread shows some people seem to think not claiming lunch is the right thing to do. That's still their choice.

There are people on here who see IR35 as a personal hobby, the vast amount of actual contractors don't give a stuff.

[northernladuk]

There are people on here who see IR35 as a personal hobby, the vast amount of actual contractors don't give a stuff.

They will do soon.... Actually many of them probably won't as they have no idea what's happening