Travel Expense But No Receipts

NICHOLAS_2

Hi

I know that for working from home you can claim 26 quid a month under current rules using the simplified calculations meaning that you don't really need receipts.

Is there something similar for travel. Throughout the year i probably spend about £300 to £500 on taxis but like a nut didn't get receipts. I remember spending about £30 in taxis when buying some office furniture.

Would it be unreasonable for me to include say £200 pounds in my tax return as travel expenses? even though i don't have any receipts.

Cheers

HappyMJ

You need receipts for taxi's. Sometimes you can't get a receipt for a bus ticket so a copy if the ticket is sufficient or some proof you paid something. If you really can't get a receipt or a travel ticket (oyster for example) then a travel diary would suffice.

NICHOLAS_2

HappyMJ wrote: »

You need receipts for taxi's. Sometimes you can't get a receipt for a bus ticket so a copy if the ticket is sufficient or some proof you paid something. If you really can't get a receipt or a travel ticket (oyster for example) then a travel diary would suffice.

So what would be do able in this situation then, with no receipts and no diary having been kept.

Almost every self employed person incurs travel costs to some extent, some small and some large.

I would like to include a figure, i would find it hard to envisage a tax inspector begrudging some form of small claim with no receipts? When it is pretty obvious that you will incur them.

Thanks.

booksurr

NICHOLAS wrote: »

, i would find it hard to envisage a tax inspector begrudging some form of small claim with no receipts? When it is pretty obvious that you will incur them.

dear tax inspector
option a) I am too disorganised to get receipts
option b) I am a crook who claims made up numbers without any evidence to support them

dear taxpayer
option a) and option b) are the same to me, claim disallowed. If you persist, I smell penalties!

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/377656/rk-bk1.pdf

NICHOLAS_2

booksurr wrote: »

dear tax inspector
option a) I am too disorganised to get receipts
option b) I am a crook who claims made up numbers without any evidence to support them

dear taxpayer
option a) and option b) are the same to me, claim disallowed. If you persist, I smell penalties!

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/377656/rk-bk1.pdf

Yes, maybe if you are saying i bought 2000 pounds worth of materials but lost the receipt etc

But a self employed person racking up some travel expense every year is no different to humans having to breathe oxygen, we all do it?

I dare say there is a way to challenge their rulings or penalties?

PlutoinCapricorn

You need receipts in case HMRC ever decide to enquire into your expenses. If you are lucky your figures will be accepted automatically without triggering anything.

If HMRC did ask for supporting material and you have any other evidence e.g. emails about a meeting or visit I would expect it to be accepted, all the more if all your other figures and paperwork were in order.

somethingcorporate

If you have no evidence on what basis do you think you could challenge the rules/penalties?

Just be more organised going forward and remember to ask for receipts, they are freely available.

HappyMJ

NICHOLAS wrote: »

Yes, maybe if you are saying i bought 2000 pounds worth of materials but lost the receipt etc

But a self employed person racking up some travel expense every year is no different to humans having to breathe oxygen, we all do it?

I dare say there is a way to challenge their rulings or penalties?

You need receipts and/or a travel diary. One or the other or both would be better to prove the travel expense was business and not private.

If you don't know what you've spent on taxis (where receipts are available) or when you travelled on public transport with a travel card (where you don't get receipts) then I can't see on what basis you have a claim.

Did you always use the same travel company to book your travel? Do they keep computerized records of your journeys that you booked? Do you have phone records showing the times you rang the travel company to book a private hire vehicle or taxi? The travel company could help you but would charge you more than the value of the tax that you'd reclaim so I don't think it'll be worth it.