The continuing nonsense of "Take Home Pay"

[Darren at Fox-Bartfield]

FCSA

Perhaps send a complaint into Julia at the FCSA and see what she says?

[SueEllen]

It really is.

You need to do more research.

Last time I checked my travel costs weren't income...

[VelcroPower]

Brookson are a founder member of the FCSA though, so I would imagine the response would be "We get where you are coming from but because of reasons we can't do anything about it right now, it's certainly something we'll consider in future though.." etc.

[stek]

You need to do more research.

Last time I checked my travel costs weren't income...

I think i get what hes on about, the way these calculators count mileage, etc as income not allowing for the fact youve spent it in the first place and still costs your company which is effectively you.

[SueEllen]

I think i get what hes on about, the way these calculators count mileage, etc as income not allowing for the fact youve spent it in the first place and still costs your company which is effectively you.

It ignores the fact that if I was permanent I wouldn't take on some of the contracts I have done due to their far away location. Plus any employer who would have sent me to another town/city for the day or to stay overnight would pay my travel costs. As I had an employer who did the latter before I started contracting I can clearly state my travel costs aren't income.

[l35kee]

It ignores the fact that if I was permanent I wouldn't take on some of the contracts I have done due to their far away location. Plus any employer who would have sent me to another town/city for the day or to stay overnight would pay my travel costs. As I had an employer who did the latter before I started contracting I can clearly state my travel costs aren't income.

Those are the exceptions though. Come on, you know I don't mean those sort of travel costs obviously. Mileage, lunch, childcare, mobile phone, etc, etc, etc. It's money you get without paying tax that you would probably (WITH OBVIOUS EXCEPTIONS) would be paying as a permie with your post-tax income.

Did I mention obvious exceptions yet?

[SueEllen]

Those are the exceptions though. Come on, you know I don't mean those sort of travel costs obviously. Mileage, lunch, childcare, mobile phone, etc, etc, etc. It's money you get without paying tax that you would probably (WITH OBVIOUS EXCEPTIONS) would be paying as a permie with your post-tax income.

Did I mention obvious exceptions yet?

Some of the other things on your list are exemptions as well as it depends on the employer, what they give particular positions in their company to do the job and your location. This is why you can't say that certain things e.g. mileage, lunch, mobile phone are obvious exemptions as it is grey area.

[l35kee]

Some of the other things on your list are exemptions as well as it depends on the employer, what they give particular positions in their company to do the job and your location. This is why you can't say that certain things e.g. mileage, lunch, mobile phone are obvious exemptions as it is grey area.

The main point I'm making is that it's inaccurate to say expenses are not part of your income. In a lot of cases they are. Even things like mobile phone, you'd probably have a personal one as well as the work provided one as a permie.

You could find a case for every single expense to be an exception if you wanted, that wasn't the real point.

I think the argument had descended a little bit that the original point has been lost. Personally I am happier that the online calculators include expenses as "income" instead of excluding them, it provides a clearer picture in most* cases.

[NotAllThere]

Sorry, I don't need a laptop except for work.

So you only post here during working time, or you have a desktop computer at home?

[SueEllen]

So you only post here during working time, or you have a desktop computer at home?

He would use the family computer rather than have one to his own. A family computer clearly wouldn't be business equipment as it would have your kids games on it or partner's sh*t. Some employers give you laptops which you have to take home so you can use that - yes some idiots actually do -, and other employers will reimburse you for the laptop you brought to do work.

Alternatively he could just post on his phone.