Self employed - Charged mileage to client

LittleVoice

Game_Over wrote: »

I'm a little confused as to why you are so sure this was not ordinary commuting?

Almost everyone who works incurs an expense of going to work.

As I understand it, the OP only worked for 7 days last year in that particular business of theirs, and every day such work was at the same location ... so why would they have gone there for the past 2 years??? :huh:

Anyway, I'm sure if the OP were to follow my advice in post#5, everything will be clarified

because . . .

they aren't an employee

if it had been that they had been travelling there regularly for two years then HMRC would not allow it as a tax deductible expense.

poggles

LittleVoice wrote: »

because . . .

they aren't an employee

True but not really relevant. Self employed can also commute

LittleVoice wrote: »

if it had been that they had been travelling there regularly for two years then HMRC would not allow it as a tax deductible expense.

Again true, but not entirely relevant.

Just because HMRC will not allow it in the circumstances you describe, does not mean they will allow it in all other circumstances.

poggles

zygurat789 wrote: »

#
Have you ever known HMRC answer a question like that clearly, concisely and definitively?

I have always found HMRC most obliging when making enquiries of them.

I do find they do prefer people who are unsure to ask for clarification beforehand, rather than making an assumption that may be wrong, and hope the taxman then doesn't notice.

zygurat789

poggles wrote: »

I have always found HMRC most obliging when making enquiries of them.

I do find they do prefer people who are unsure to ask for clarification beforehand, rather than making an assumption that may be wrong, and hope the taxman then doesn't notice.

I have found that they NEVER give a definitive answer

Pennywise

zygurat789 wrote: »

I have found that they NEVER give a definitive answer

Whenever I've ever phoned them, and clients say exactly the same, all they ever do is refer you back to their guidance notes, often just reading out the guidance notes. They'll certainly not tell you whether it's claimable or not, they'll parrot out their guidance notes and tell you to make up your own mind. Then, of course, they may well give you reference to the wrong guidance notes. Next time you ring, listen carefully to the exact words they say - they're passing the buck back to you if you ask whether something is claimable or not!

zygurat789

Pennywise wrote: »

Whenever I've ever phoned them, and clients say exactly the same, all they ever do is refer you back to their guidance notes, often just reading out the guidance notes. They'll certainly not tell you whether it's claimable or not, they'll parrot out their guidance notes and tell you to make up your own mind. Then, of course, they may well give you reference to the wrong guidance notes. Next time you ring, listen carefully to the exact words they say - they're passing the buck back to you if you ask whether something is claimable or not!

Exactly what I am saying HMRC will not answer queries like this over the phone

prowla

Commuting is to a regular place of work; 7 days in a year is not a regular place of work.

CraggyRockFace

Oops, I missed this little argument over the weekend.

OK, actually I over simplified the situation in my OP as I didn't think it was relevant, but clearly it is!

What actually happened was that out of the 7 days I worked, I worked 6 days in a London office, commuting there by tube, which I am NOT claiming as an expense. But for 1 day I had to drive to a location outside the M25, which was a total of 76 miles in my car.

From what you've said it sounds like this cost is definitely tax deductable.

skivenov

Assumming it's your own car. The easiest way is to put the whole lot down as revenue, and then add the mileage onto your mileage expense total for the year.

skivenov

Game_Over wrote: »

You may want to check with HMRC if such travel cost is tax deductable.

Ordinary commuting is not tax deductable.

As I understand it, you only worked 7 days last year in regards to this business venture, and all work was carried out at the same location.

Nope, self employed, so business mileage is business mileage regardless of where you're going. The only exception is if you have premises of your own and commute there.