Expenses

getmore4less

If you need alcohol with your meal go to a spoons they include one in many meals.

gettingtheresometime

lazer-zxr wrote: »

Sorry, I just had a bee in my bonnet last night about my wife having to pay for her drinks.

FYI:
Toiletries has been when myself of colleagues forgot items, and had to buy while away. I do take the view that drinks and entertainment are incurred because your away from home, and need to relax after working. My seniors and company don't have a problem with this, and encourage us to not worry about costs while away.

As a tax payer, I wouldn't have a problem with funding public sector employees relaxing how they see fit while away from the comfort of their home , providing they'd put in a days work for our benefit.

I think the norm is a drink with your meal is allowable but anything over that is at your own expense.


Personally, speaking as a tax payer, I take the opposite view to you with regards funding public sector employees relaxation time (and that includes MPs!) but I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree

esmy

lazer-zxr wrote: »

She is only allowed to claim back max £25 meal and one drink. So as she went out with colleagues for 4 drinks we are expected to fund 3 of those drinks. Does anyone else think this is unreasonable. And they pay peanuts.

I don't think whatever expenses you incur because you are away with work should be borne by you personally.

Having worked in the public sector for over 30 years this is fairly generous. No 'per diem' expenses at all, only meals to a financial limit which will have latterly been around £25 for a day ie 3 meals, no drinks whatsoever. Receipts had to be provided - no receipts, no money - and the process of reclaiming was so tortuous many didn't bother claiming at all.

Andy_L

pelirocco wrote: »

HMRC has a limit on what can be paid tax free as an overnight allowance (just over £26 )anything else I assume is classed as a benefit in kind and taxed

Yes/no/sort of

An employer can just give you HMRC's benchmark amounts as cash in your pocket and you can do what you like with it (eg go down the chippie & pocket the rest/spend it on beer) and don't need to worry about any HMRC related paperwork, just tick the appropriate box.

They can pay more, but then need to either arrange a higher flat rate with HMRC or pay receipted actuals

Obviously both of them are different to any restrictions that your employer imposes

Andy_L

lazer-zxr wrote: »

Having a few drinks, or going to cinema / comedy club for example , to me is a way of relaxing a bit, and compensating for being away from home.

An employer can pay for a "few drinks" (although HMRCs line is a bit vague on how many), however the Public Sector has decided that paying for someone to have a beer with a meal wouldn't pass the "Daily Mail Test" (and before somebody says it, MPs are also prohibited from claiming for booze)

They could pay for the cinema but it would be taxable.

Savvy_Sue

lazer-zxr wrote: »

FYI:
Toiletries has been when myself of colleagues forgot items, and had to buy while away.

But presumably you take those toiletries home and use them up at home, so why are they a business expense??? You pay for them yourself, and don't have to buy more with the supermarket shopping for a bit longer.

Manxman_in_exile

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

But presumably you take those toiletries home and use them up at home, so why are they a business expense??? You pay for them yourself, and don't have to buy more with the supermarket shopping for a bit longer.

They're in debt and penny-pinching according to the OP.


So they've decided to transfer their personal expenses (including toiletries and night-clubbing) to their employer and their customers/clients. Wife might shortly have problems if she works in the public sector and is claiming "drinks" as an expense.


Watch those debts escalate!

KiKi

lazer-zxr wrote: »

As a tax payer, I wouldn't have a problem with funding public sector employees relaxing how they see fit while away from the comfort of their home , providing they'd put in a days work for our benefit.

They already get compensated for putting in a day's work - it's called a salary.

There's no way it's acceptable for the tax payer to pay for someone's cinema trip, drinks out etc. If you choose to go out, then you pay - just as you would at home. If you'd usually stay in at home and watch TV, then you can do then in the hotel. Yes, it's definitely inconvenient to be away from home, but jobs which require a lot of that usually have that built in as part of the reward package, and as you said, this is a rare occasion for your wife. If she'd usually go out for drinks anyway, there there shouldn't be any problem with her paying. If she wouldn't usually go out, then she has the choice to stay in the hotel.

That's very standard - and unless it's your company policy to pay for any social activities, be careful what expenses you sign off at work!

SuzieSue

lazer-zxr wrote: »

So this covers everything. Unlimited drinks, unlimited food, even night club fees and taxis , toiletries if needed, etc.

What kind of company do you work for? Is it in the City?

marliepanda

Public sector workers can't even get a half decent pension without cries of 'misuse of public funds' 'we're paying your wages!!!!!!' From irate 'council tax payers'

You really think they'd get away with charging them for nightclub fees? Yeah...