Launch claim daily help

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

I think we've queried it because the breakfast and evening meal rates are both only payable in exceptional circumstances - if the OP's regular day is 8 until 6, including travelling time, for example then neither is applicable

[International Adviser]

Claiming for Daily Meals

It is clear that the Umbrella Company you have signed up to has an agreement with HMRC to reimburse you the cost of daily meals of up to £9.50 as long as you incur the cost.

If you incur the cost and the Umbrella Company reimburse you in line with their agreed HMRC scale rates then you have little or no risk.

It is correct that at some future date HMRC may seek to change the agreement they have with the Umbrella Company, but that will be moving forward and will not be applied historically. Also the current benchmark rates are:

Description

Amount (up to)

Breakfast rate £5

One meal (5 hour) rate £5

Two meal (10 hour) rate £10

Late evening meal rate £15

This suggests that as you are away from home, including travel, for more than 10 hours then you should claim the two meal rate up to £10.00 and not the £5.00 for breakfast or late evening meal rates, which as HMRC say

"Breakfast rate - The rate may be paid where an employee leaves home earlier than usual and before 6.00 am and incurs a cost on breakfast taken away from his home after the qualifying journey has started. If an employee usually leaves before 6.00 am the breakfast rate does not apply.

Late evening meal rate - The rate may be paid where the employee has to work later than usual, finishes work after 8.00 pm having worked his normal day and has to buy a meal before the qualifying journey ends which he would usually have at home.

The breakfast and late evening meal rates are for use in exceptional circumstances only and are not intended for employees with regular early or late work patterns (see examples at EIM05232).

Not sure why the others commentators have chosen to cast doubt on the validity of your Umbrella Companies expense policy.

this can all be viewed at
EIM05231 - Employment income: scale rate expenses: subsistence expenses: table of benchmark scale rates

[TheFaQQer]

Thanks for your help I will not claim nothing better be safe side and in peace

anything

[vibewr]

Thanks for your help I will not claim nothing better be safe side and in peace

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Well I suppose it's always possible the payer has agreed individual tailored rates.

Highly unlikely though.

Yep it certainly is - HMRC review umbrella company dispensations regularly these days and I would be very surprised if a rate above the scale rate had been agreed

[ASB]

scale rate expenses have been standardised and the rate for lunch is £5 EIM05231 - Employment income: scale rate expenses: subsistence expenses: table of benchmark scale rates. Despite the 10 hour day I don't think that the OP would qualify for the 2 meal rate which would be £10.00 as breakfast and evening meal costs are only allowable in exceptional circumstances

Well I suppose it's always possible the payer has agreed individual tailored rates.

Highly unlikely though.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

scale rate expenses have been standardised and the rate for lunch is £5 EIM05231 - Employment income: scale rate expenses: subsistence expenses: table of benchmark scale rates. Despite the 10 hour day I don't think that the OP would qualify for the 2 meal rate which would be £10.00 as breakfast and evening meal costs are only allowable in exceptional circumstances

[ASB]

If you make money on expenses, you are committing tax evasion.

One might be. One might not. Often it is the former.

Scale rates are not linked to actual expenditure, merely some expenditure.

Are scale rates in place for the OP? I haven't a clue. Neither do you.

[TheFaQQer]

They also told me I could buy for example 5£ launch and claim 9.50£ every day is that true?

Yes it's true.

The thing to ensure is that you have everything in place to survive any investigation into your expenses - bear in mind that if HMRC come calling, it's you that will face them, not the umbrella.

Make sure you understand exactly what the umbrella is telling you before you go too far.

[malvolio]

Hello I’m new on umbrella system, just signed up with Umbrella Company.
My question his work 8 h a day + 2.30h travel what give me more them 10h in total.
My umbrella company said I could claim daily when I go to work for launch up to 9.50£, and need to provide receipt for it.
They also told me I could buy for example 5£ launch and claim 9.50£ every day is that true?
Can I buy it before go work everyday or during launch time?

sorry for newbie questions just need some help to avoid hmrc come after me.

Simple. Sign with a different umbrella, that doesn't break the law. Yours is going to get you into trouble.

If you make money on expenses, you are committing tax evasion, which is a criminal offence.

Expenses are not claimable against food you prepare yourself, only for money spent during working hours.

[vibewr]

Hello I’m new on umbrella system, just signed up with Umbrella Company.
My question his work 8 h a day + 2.30h travel what give me more them 10h in total.
My umbrella company said I could claim daily when I go to work for launch up to 9.50£, and need to provide receipt for it.
They also told me I could buy for example 5£ launch and claim 9.50£ every day is that true?
Can I buy it before go work everyday or during launch time?

sorry for newbie questions just need some help to avoid hmrc come after me.