Claiming for daily dinner expenses?

Lambrusco_Cowboy

I worked for a company which moved around the country from job to job but i was never closer than 100 miles to home. I also had no access to normal kitchen facilities whilst doing these jobs and therefore had to buy pre prepared meals everyday for two months. do you think i could claim these back?

Lambrusco_Cowboy

it wasnt my usual work tho just something i did for a short burst, and also as i was staying on hotels all the time i didnt have access to kitchen facilities. On the HRMC site it suggests that itinerant workers could claim for food costs? To be honest tho i dont think i spent much more than a fiver a day which you are allowed to claim anyway for general expenses if i understand things correctly

FatAndy

I've always wondered why there's so much doubt regarding claiming for food. The fact is if you work in an office day in, day out you'll most likely prepare a packed lunch or buy a sandwich at lunchtime whereas if you're working more than 100 miles from your base you'll most likely prepare a packed lunch or buy a sandwich! The fact that you're 100 miles from home is irrelevant, if you're going to eat something at lunchtime you'll do so regardless of where you are. In fact the chances are you'll also eat lunch on your days off as well. Now that we have 24hr supermarkets and 7-11 corner shops there's no longer any excuse for not being able to buy some food in advance if you know you're going to be working away.

Personally I'd be more than happy if HMRC allowed all workers to claim the cost of their lunch but being realistic it can't see how eating lunch can be considered as being wholly, exclusively and necessarily as business expense.

I would agree though that it's different if you're away overnight as it's generally more expensive to buy ready prepared food rather than preparing yourself.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim37025.htm

Lambrusco_Cowboy

I agree, and currently, despire working away from home i am not claiming for food as i am based in the same place WITH cooking facilities, but for the 2 months i am questioning i was living in hotels and had no facilities, therefore had to buy preprepared meals or eat out.

this was quoted from another similar post

"There is no distinction between what you can claim for as a Ltd Co. Director and a soletrader, you just have to justify that it's a business expense (in the case of any further questions being asked). If you work away and you have to buy meals out this is a business expense as you wouldn't have had to incur this cost had you not had to work away.

If you buy food and make a meal this isn't a business expense as you have to do that anyway if you were at home."