Claiming tax relief on travel ..can i do this?

Cammatia

This is my first time post so I apologise if I have got anything wrong

I have recently been promoted at work with an increase in salary (but a substantial loss in OTE earnings taking the past couple of years into account due to the new position being salaried rather than hourly paid).

My question is can i claim tax relief on travel as this new position means that my company will only pay for four return trips when working abroad - so in effect for me to be able to come home more than four times in one year I will have to find my own air fare. And I have also found out since accepting the promotion that if my company gives me another project to manage while I am away then the original four return trips are also included in with the new project and not an additional 4 return journeys.

This work abroad is not my normal place of work but due to the promotion I am expected to travel and work abroad alot more now and with the added responsibility this position brings it is inevitable that i do these trips and in most cases will have to stay abroad for atleast 4 to 6 weeks at a time.

LittleVoice

Does your company pay for your accommodation when you are working abroad?

Cammatia

Yep my employer pays for the accomodation but I have to find the most cost effective accomodation for myself and for any other employee (engineer) that comes out. My Employer will only pay for four return journeys - so if is stay out 6 weeks and then need to come home I Have to pay for myself after four stints of being away for four to six weeks - so in effect my employer is only paying for approx half a year where as even if i need to come back to the uk for work purposes if my employer has already paid for four return journeys then i will have to pay out of my own pocket in order to get back and attend the work purpose. Due to the nature of the project that I am working on it is destined to be finished early 2009 but as with every other contract that I have been involved with of this kind it can over run anywhere upto two/three years.