Reply to: Giant now need petrol and food receipts :(

[realityhack]

Please, please, please have nothing to do with them as soon as possible. Go Ltd, be free.

[Nixon Williams]

Orangegenie have an xls spreadsheet that works out the value of the receipt needed to cover the mileage I claim.

I claim 280 miles per week and their sheet says I need a receipt for £34, now I drive a rather thirsty 2 litre Civic type-R and struggle to get through that much fuel in week and often have to put my foot down more than usual to get the value of the receipt up!

With their calculation I need to keep under 31.8 mpg which is difficult enough on a motorway journey in my car so anyone with a more economical car will really struggle.

Who comes up with these figures?... I'm sure Gordon will make it easier for me sometime soon!

A mileage log is fine on its own, receipts are only needed for a company to reclaim VAT, this will be an extra revenue stream for umbrellas/composites as they will keep this reclaimed VAT, or claims it helps keep their costs down etc!

[Spacecadet]

With their calculation I need to keep under 31.8 mpg which is difficult enough on a motorway journey in my car so anyone with a more economical car will really struggle.

wanna swap? - mines never over 25mpg

[gingerjedi]

Orangegenie have an xls spreadsheet that works out the value of the receipt needed to cover the mileage I claim.

I claim 280 miles per week and their sheet says I need a receipt for £34, now I drive a rather thirsty 2 litre Civic type-R and struggle to get through that much fuel in week and often have to put my foot down more than usual to get the value of the receipt up!

With their calculation I need to keep under 31.8 mpg which is difficult enough on a motorway journey in my car so anyone with a more economical car will really struggle.

Who comes up with these figures?... I'm sure Gordon will make it easier for me sometime soon!

[PerlOfWisdom]

Afaik the MOT mileage record is voluntary. I know the one on the tax disc is.

It's compulsary on the MOT.

[DaveB]

Afaik the MOT mileage record is voluntary. I know the one on the tax disc is.

The MOT milage is recorded by the testing station and reported along with the fact of the test taking place. Unless your using some dodgy backstreet operator who knocks out test certificates for a tenner and no questions asked.

[Sockpuppet]

In order to claim expenses you need to prove that you have actually spent that amount. Receipts of course are just such evidence, but there are other forms of evidence you can use such as mileage logs (the Revenue can cross check these against MOT records)

Afaik the MOT mileage record is voluntary. I know the one on the tax disc is.

[simondolan]

If you are on flat rate VAT, you don't need the receipts - as you aren't claiming the VAT element of the 40p/mile back - logs are still a very good idea.
If you are NOT flat rate VAT, then there is an element of the 40p that is VAT related & so claimed back from HMRC, in the measure of a few pence / mile, and this you DO need receipts for, as far as I understand it. Exact figures - talk to your accountant! They should have told you this in January this year - that is when the additional receipts were required by both Parasol & Contractorumbrella
Simon / Darren etc - come on and add your bit - this is YOUR area of expertise!!!

In order to claim expenses you need to prove that you have actually spent that amount. Receipts of course are just such evidence, but there are other forms of evidence you can use such as mileage logs (the Revenue can cross check these against MOT records)

[DaveB]

I do a job where it is virtually impossible for me to work from home.

I have never in 25 years billed anything other than an hour sat on one of my clients' seats.

tim

I'm not doubting that everything you have said is true but can you *prove* that to the nice men from HMRC? There is no presumption of innocence in a tax investiagtion. You have to prove that you did everything right. Keeping receipts and a milage log is the easiest way of providing evidence to support your case.

As a permie you wouldn't be able to claim a milage allowance without telling your employer where you went, when, and how far it was; and you wouldn't get the petrol costs back for a company hire car without a receipt. HMRC will treat it in exactly the same way.

[tim123]

Supporting evidence. Just because your time sheet has been signed doesnt mean you didnt work from home on a particular day or days. Or does your client tell you where you have to work each day and for how long?

If you are claiming milage then you really should be keeping a log of business journeys made including milage and keep the receipts as backup. It's minimal effort and gives the IR one less excuse to go digging.

I do a job where it is virtually impossible for me to work from home.

I have never in 25 years billed anything other than an hour sat on one of my clients' seats.

tim

[Nixon Williams]

Giant will want the receipts so that they can reclaim the VAT on the mileage!

[dmini]

If you are on flat rate VAT, you don't need the receipts - as you aren't claiming the VAT element of the 40p/mile back - logs are still a very good idea.
If you are NOT flat rate VAT, then there is an element of the 40p that is VAT related & so claimed back from HMRC, in the measure of a few pence / mile, and this you DO need receipts for, as far as I understand it. Exact figures - talk to your accountant! They should have told you this in January this year - that is when the additional receipts were required by both Parasol & Contractorumbrella
Simon / Darren etc - come on and add your bit - this is YOUR area of expertise!!!

[DaveB]

I'm a real company amd I don't save petrol receipts.

I have proof that I did the journey (a signed timesheet), I claim the fixed mileage and I don't claim the VAT back, why should I keep the receipt?

tim

Supporting evidence. Just because your time sheet has been signed doesnt mean you didnt work from home on a particular day or days. Or does your client tell you where you have to work each day and for how long?

If you are claiming milage then you really should be keeping a log of business journeys made including milage and keep the receipts as backup. It's minimal effort and gives the IR one less excuse to go digging.

[tim123]

I'm a real company amd I don't save petrol receipts.

I have proof that I did the journey (a signed timesheet), I claim the fixed mileage and I don't claim the VAT back, why should I keep the receipt?

tim

[wendigo100]

Are umbrellas worth the bother?