Camera equipment as company expense

[SueEllen]

Just brought a decent camera.

Would this be frowned upon as company equipment for an IT Consultancy...

If you are an area of IT where you take a lot of photos and use them for work then there is no problem.

However if you aren't and you have your books looked at for any reason then you will be sh*ting yourself.

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Clearly in the context the camera was bought for personal use and the business use was incidental.

In reality claiming it as a company expenses or asset would probably be got away with but that certainly doesn't mean its right to do so.

[rd409]

Why not invoice your company for the images that you use? But you will have to declare that income in your personal self assessment, but it can be an allowable way.
Am not an accountant, but this is my idea of using personal equipment for business.

[northernladuk]

The answer is in the wording of his post...

Just brought a decent camera.

Just in the process of setting my company web site up and would like to take some pics to stick on there.
i.e pics of client building etc etc

He bought a decent camera but now would like to take some pics. This does not imply he bought it to develop his website so definately not. It reads he bought one and now would like to use it to take 'some' pics. To me this reads he happens to have bought himself a camera and now has the idea to use it to add a few pictures. In this case you cannot put it through.

I would also argue as others have even just some pics for a static website is not enough justification as it will then be used almost exclusively for personal use so not allowed either.

[rmmc]

...wholly, exclusive and necessary .

The test is wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the business. For the tax purpose you do not need to prove the item was necessary for the purpose of the business.

As long as the equipment is wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the business then it is allowed.

However if you are a limited company and use the camera for the personal use then you have to pay benefit in kind tax on use of the company asset!

[Craig@Clarity]

Except that a camera isn't standard office equipment and probably isn't related to any of the work he'll be doing in his IT Consultancy.

Might as well stick the plasma TV through too

Taking it on face value that it is necessary to purchase a camera in order to develop his website is reasonable. As such, it's my opinion that it should be an allowable expense as long as it can be demonstrated as being wholly, exclusively and necessary for the purpose of the business.

I take your point that it isn't standard office equipment and like a plasma TV, if it is purchased by the company solely to reduce corporation tax and the use of the equipment is all personal, then it's either a benefit in kind or disallowable.

[Bunk]

I don't think it's frowned upon. If the camera is wholly, exclusive and necessary for the purpose of the business i.e. to develop your company website, then it should be an allowable expenditure. Have you got the invoice in the company name as evidence of the expense? It's no different to purchasing a computer, printer, scanner or any other equipment for the business.

Except that a camera isn't standard office equipment and probably isn't related to any of the work he'll be doing in his IT Consultancy.

Might as well stick the plasma TV through too

[Craig@Clarity]

I don't think it's frowned upon. If the camera is wholly, exclusive and necessary for the purpose of the business i.e. to develop your company website, then it should be an allowable expenditure. Have you got the invoice in the company name as evidence of the expense? It's no different to purchasing a computer, printer, scanner or any other equipment for the business.

[Wanderer]

Just brought a decent camera.

Just in the process of setting my company web site up and would like to take some pics to stick on there.
i.e pics of client building etc etc

Would this be frowned upon as company equipment for an IT Consultancy...

Probably. The general rules is that you have to use it "wholly and exclusively" for business use before you can claim it.

If you are a keen photographer and you are looking to make a business out of photography as a side line then you might get away with it though. It would be terribly unfortunate if your photography business didn't get off the ground though.

[BiggieBig]

Just brought a decent camera.

Just in the process of setting my company web site up and would like to take some pics to stick on there.
i.e pics of client building etc etc

Would this be frowned upon as company equipment for an IT Consultancy...