Can I be forced to use my own car for business mileage?

BoGoF

gallygirl wrote: »

If they don't you can claim the difference from the IR. Nice little rebate once a year

No you can't......you can claim tax relief on the difference which is a lot less than if your employer paid the full rate - that was my point.

gallygirl

BoGoF wrote: »

No you can't......you can claim tax relief on the difference which is a lot less than if your employer paid the full rate - that was my point.

Sorry, that's what I meant

vax2002

They are some real Crap employers..
Who you are so lucky we have given you a job making us money, now go and buy a reliable car with those wages and use it to work for us....

opinions4u

vax2002 wrote: »

Might have been 20 years ago

Hardly cover the Fuel, never mind buying, insurance, maintenance.
Poor employers asking workers to subsidise poor business plans.

If the HMRC allowance of 45p a mile is being paid, you will be quids in on fuel alone.

The cost of insurance for "business use" is, in my experience, about 5% on the premium.

Things like breakdown cover are paid for anyway.

While I do think that employers who pay less than 45p a mile a taking the proverbial, that figure is typically three times the cost of the fuel used on a normal journey in a normal car.

telboyo

opinions4u wrote: »

If the HMRC allowance of 45p a mile is being paid, you will be quids in on fuel alone.

The cost of insurance for "business use" is, in my experience, about 5% on the premium.

Things like breakdown cover are paid for anyway.

While I do think that employers who pay less than 45p a mile a taking the proverbial, that figure is typically three times the cost of the fuel used on a normal journey in a normal car.

Sure it seems a bargain if you put it that way. Do 10,000 mile per yr and that is £4.5k tax free. Imagine for an instance if you do not have or need a car- would you go out and buy one just in the hope that a company would pay you for it.. Of course everyone has a car (not) now imagine if your employer expected you to lease or buy a CNC milling machine (because he finds it too expensive to have one all year) could you would you afford one of these?
According to the op you could get sacked for not using your own equipment in the course of your work.
Absolute nonsense.
You have to haggle, one of the companies I do work for only pays after the first 70 miles at 18p per mile, quite often they ring me up and ask me to a job and I will refuse unless they pay full mileage- sometimes I win and sometimes I lose . Other times they will pay me to travel a 400 mile round trip and then pay me 6 hrs at near min wage. People wonder why I take the job and my response is that I have no other work that day so I get paid for the shift and get £20 ish back from HMRC. So although I am out of the house for 12 hrs I get in effect 9 hrs at minimum wage.

Road_Hog

In answer to the OP, no you can't be made to use your car. But then legally my wife can't ask me to do things, but there may be consequences if I refuse. A pragmatic approach is the best.

Get a quote from your insurer for upgrading to business use and ask then to post it to you. Inform your line manager (by email, so it is in writing), that if the company wants you to use your car then you would them to let you claim it on expenses.

If they say that is covered by the mileage, tell them that as you'll only be doing the odd short journey (whilst using a pool car at other times) then you won't make enough in mileage on top of your wear and tear on your car to make it up, plus the extra mileage devalues the car.

Whilst some say that your quids in if (and you've not mentioned that they pay the full rate) you get full mileage, it is no longer true. The rate has not risen much and according to the AA/RAC it no longer covers the cost. It used to be a good earner about 10 years ago, but not now.

Plus don't forget, doing more mileage ups the likelihood of an accident and even if it isn't your fault, the insurance company will still raise your premium. If your manager says, we'll give you some long trips to cover it, then explain that your car is 10 years old and not really suitable or reliable enough for that sort of business use.

Always, try to sound reasonable and willing to help, but always point out the practical things that can't be argued with. Like the business insurance and trying to give you long distance journeys.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't want to use my car for business use unless it was part of parcel of my job and I was given an allowance for it (on top of the mileage rate). It just isn't a good deal, but then you have to balance that with your work situation.

Miss_Havisham

OP, what outcome are you looking for (genuine question), it might influence our opinions :

1. you don't have to travel to other sites
2. you get your own company car
3. they buy more pool cars
4. they pay for your public transport to/from the other sites
5. they pay you an allowance sufficient(net of deductions) to cover the wear and tear and extra insurance on your own car
6. A N Other


Miss H

SHIPSHAPE

missile wrote: »

How long have you been employed? If less than two years(?) your employment can be terminated without giving a reason.

Not the case, it is one year service as of now, it increases in April this year.

Beside which, one is always entitled to sue for breach of contract and there is no contractual obligation to use one's car in this case, as the OP has stated.

Andy_L

The AA's take on the csot of running a car - broken down by both fixed costs (tax, insurance, depreciation etc) & per mile (fuel, wear & tear etc) based on differing mileages

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/running_costs/index.html

For the total cost 45p's not enough, unless you do loads of miles in a cheap car. Looking at just running costs you really have to go some to be out of pocket

newfoundglory

rdwarr wrote: »

I've never found "Business use" insurance adds much to premiums. If the mileage allowance allows you to make a profit then I'd go for it.

I agree - i've been driving 2 years, and to add business class 1 onto my policy was about £5 extra. Cheap, worth getting when insurers are looking for any reason not to pay claims.

My employer pays 45p/mile up to the HMRC annual mileage limit (can't remember what that is). Depending on the car you have and the maintenance it requires, you should make a few £ out of the mileage, especially on motorway journeys.