Paying for Services so i can do my job 15 January 2020 at 2:50PM edited 30 November -1 at 12:00AM in Employment, Jobseeking & Training 9 replies 855 views

Boywiz

Hi Not sure if something like this has been answered before but will ask here.

I am an IT consultant for a big-ish firm in London, I have a requirement to understand the three big players Cloud offering, Amazon, Google and Microsoft.

They happily pay for the training and the exam and provide limited functionality environments for us to play in.

I am not a contractor i am a an employee on PAYE

My questions are:
1. Can i claim some tax relief on travel costs to take the Exam as the company do not cover this?

2. A lot of the functions that i need to keep up to speed with such as complete environment admin of users and security i can not perform in the environments that the company do provide, so if i set up these environments can i claim some relife against these environments bearing in mind there will be 3 of them?

Thanks in advance
Mo

Pennywise

As an employee, you can only claim costs which you incur as a requirement of your job. That usually means as required in your contract of employment.

If your employer required you to sit the exams (pretty easy to prove if they paid for the exam fees), then it follows the travel to/from the test centre is an allowable expense. That's pretty generally allowed.

As for other things, then almost certainly not. Unless your employer requires you to set up your own environments out of the workplace. The point is that if they're providing all you need to "do" your job at work, then if you choose to do "extra" outside work, then that's up to you, so not allowable.

What people would usually do (if the employer is receptive), is to go down the salary sacrifice route. I.e. get your employer to pay directly for the equipment/software etc you need, in return for you accepting a lower salary. That way you save both tax and NIC and the employer saves NIC too. It's not "official" and not sanctioned/approved by HMRC but is something that employers/employees across the land informally agree between themselves for modest amounts. Obviously, the equipment belongs to the employer but after a few years will be depreciated to pretty trivial amounts so you could "buy it" for a nominal sum if you or your employer was bothered about the legalities. If you're talking several thousands of pounds, then clearly a different ball park and not suitable for anything informal, but for a laptop and a bit of software, no-one would care!

gettingtheresometime

Boywiz wrote: »

Hi Not sure if something like this has been answered before but will ask here.

I am an IT consultant for a big-ish firm in London, I have a requirement to understand the three big players Cloud offering, Amazon, Google and Microsoft.

They happily pay for the training and the exam and provide limited functionality environments for us to play in.

I am not a contractor i am a an employee on PAYE

My questions are:
1. Can i claim some tax relief on travel costs to take the Exam as the company do not cover this?

2. A lot of the functions that i need to keep up to speed with such as complete environment admin of users and security i can not perform in the environments that the company do provide, so if i set up these environments can i claim some relife against these environments bearing in mind there will be 3 of them?

Thanks in advance
Mo

I wouldn't have thought so on either account.

With regards to the travel expenses how much are we talking - a few £s to get across London or ££s to travel to another city?

Similarly I would have thought that if you chose to pay for the access to these environments that would be down to you deciding to make an investment in your future - though couldn't you put together a business case for your employer to pay for this access?

Boywiz

Thanks for the quick reply, on the first point that is awesome. on the second point, this is the thing so a lot os the security policies and organisation policies are set up at the top of the hierarchy of an environment, the environments that are provided are three levels down stopping me from being able to demonstrate, or keep up to date with what change,s so i only have access to half the functionality that i need access too in my role. but maybe i will ask them about Salary Sacrifice.

Thank you for the info
Mo

Comms69

Boywiz wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply, on the first point that is awesome. on the second point, this is the thing so a lot os the security policies and organisation policies are set up at the top of the hierarchy of an environment, the environments that are provided are three levels down stopping me from being able to demonstrate, or keep up to date with what change,s so i only have access to half the functionality that i need access too in my role. but maybe i will ask them about Salary Sacrifice.

Thank you for the info
Mo

Surely you tell them that??

Boywiz

Well, it costs me £52 - 60 per exam attempt to travel so far i have done 5 exams and there is at least a requirement for another 3 exams this year.

I get the personal investment angle but if it was while you are on project you have access to an environment with budget x to ensure you can demonstrate and talk authoritatively, then that is fine, but the issue is this all takes a fair bit of time to set up each time as well.

Bottom line i am happy to invest in myself but if i was a contractor again i would be able to claim some of this back or at least you use to be able too as i have no need for it in my private life. Just trying to work out what my job costs me so i can budget correctly.

Boywiz

yes, i have told them that, but there is a point where you look for the shortest path to achieve the goal. Have been flagging it since i started this job 7 months ago.

I have to stand in front of customers and give recommendations on best practice, and in the IT game, there is the way the big boys view it should be done and then there is the reality.

Comms69

Boywiz wrote: »

yes, i have told them that, but there is a point where you look for the shortest path to achieve the goal. Have been flagging it since i started this job 7 months ago.

I have to stand in front of customers and give recommendations on best practice, and in the IT game, there is the way the big boys view it should be done and then there is the reality.

Your goal is to supplement your employer?

"Boss, i cant do this task without having X, Y or Z. How long for you to sort this?"

Boywiz

Comms69 wrote: »

Your goal is to supplement your employer?

"Boss, i cant do this task without having X, Y or Z. How long for you to sort this?"

ah no way but my goal is that i use it to negotiate my pay rise in 7-8 months if this is what i have to do. I want to be effective, if i can prove this is needed and show and demonstrate the costs then it makes a stronger business case. if they still deny then payrise negotiation and failing that then i look for a new job if it upsets me that much. all in all, it is a good company to work for, just some kinks which sometimes can be hard to get changed. did not want to do this and someone tell me 7 years later you know you could have claimed that back from the taxman.

There are plenty of good points where i work and i will fight the good fight, just trying to understand where i stand.

BrassicWoman

You seem to be confusing tools for the job with personal benefit. Just ask the employer to provide what you need. If you need it, they will. If it’s personal preference, they might not.