Can I claim my glasses as expenses ?

[Old Greg]

And thou shalt be blighted by the curses of the Great Prophet (or Profit) El Ron... until the end of thy days... much weeping and gnashing of teeth will befall thee.

Or something...

We all know you're in league with Xenu, Zeity.

[Sysman]

(I last read the details of this case several years ago, so I may have got it wrong...)

You are right. I followed this one too, and remember thinking that if a barrister and a female one at that couldn't win, there was no chance for me.

[TheFaQQer]

I asked my accountant this when first starting out.

The response was that it was only claimable if the item of clothing was specifically designed for doing the job you are doing.

I.e. overalls, yes if you are a mechanic or simillar.
Because they are specifically designed for keeping what's underneath clean when doing dirty jobs.

But a suit / shirt / trousers, no, not as someone who sits at a desk all day.
Because it is not specifically designed for wearing whilst sitting at a desk all day.

The famous case in this regard is the barrister who argued that she would never wear her court clothes in a non-working situation, so should be able to claim. The judge turned her down, I think on the grounds of dual-purpose. While her clothes may have served the purpose of being appropriate dress for court, they also served the non-work purpose of preventing her from being naked, therefore as an expense they were not wholly and exclusively for the purposes of work.

(I last read the details of this case several years ago, so I may have got it wrong...)

What about if they were company branded?

My wife's company has just bought some branded T-shirts and stuff, for staff use. Can they be claimed as expenses?

If they were being given out as promotional material, then they would be OK, but what if they were just being given to staff to wear?

[Bluebird]

I would think that company branded stuff would be ok, as the company would purchase and then provide for the staff to use.

However, I would have thought that a company branded uniform would cost more than a "standard" item, and the savings would be very marginal if at all - and you'd have to wear it at a client site...

Could be funny though if you've incorporated with a funny company name like "I'm outside IR35 so there Ltd"

[TheFaQQer]

I would think that company branded stuff would be ok, as the company would purchase and then provide for the staff to use.

However, I would have thought that a company branded uniform would cost more than a "standard" item, and the savings would be very marginal if at all - and you'd have to wear it at a client site...

Could be funny though if you've incorporated with a funny company name like "I'm outside IR35 so there Ltd"

It's not designed as a cost saving - more that she needs some funky t-shirts to advertise the company with when she does events, so if she can claim them against the company then she will.

[Bluebird]

should be fine then, just bog standard business expense.

[oxtailsoup]

Glasses

You can get your limited company to pay for glasses as long as the receipt says 'for VDU use'.