can I claim tax relief on travel and accommodation for a temporary 6 months job?

WERR

Hi
Would appreciate the advice?
I live in Newcastle. Over last year, I did a 6 months job Bristol, during which I was commuting over the weekends and renting an accommodation at my job in Bristol.
Can I claim tax relief on the travel and accommodation expenses?

jonesMUFCforever

I don't think so but did you employer not reimburse you in any way?

getmore4less

How were you employed?

PAYE
Umbrella
other

if planning to job hop then setting up so you can claim expenses might make sense

WERR

Thanks
it was a temporary job away from home.
No, my employer didn't reimburse me.
I was paid through PAYE

00ec25

WERR wrote: »

Thanks
it was a temporary job away from home.
No, my employer didn't reimburse me.
I was paid through PAYE

sorry but you still have not given enough details

as you state it was paid by PAYE this means we can eliminate any possibility you were self employed nor has it been paid through an umbrella as you would know about them if you were using one. Therefore, if the 6 month period was you simply being employed (ie PAYE) by a company on a 6 month (fixed term) contract at the end of which you are unemployed and need to seek employment with another company elsewhere then the costs are simply your normal (albeit long) commute to work and your accommodation costs are through your own choice and so are also not eligible since you have to live somewhere

if on the other hand you have permanent employment in Newcastle working for the same company who happened to send you to Bristol for 6 months (but did not pay your expenses) then, and only then, would the travel costs be eligible for tax relief as a your were on genuine temporary relocation for your company. the accommodation costs might be a grey area however because if you rented somewhere for 6 months then clearly it was available for use at the weekend and thus is not wholly a business related expense (even if you never stayed there at the weekend) so may need to be apportioned between taxable and non taxable time