Should the employer pay for food expenses?

Manxman_in_exile

GeordieGeorge said:

TBagpuss said:

JamoLew said:

ushjr said:

I think employers should pay for lunch as standard. If I wasn't in the office then I'd be cooking my lunch for much cheaper. I dread to think how much I pay for my lunch each year. Today it cost me £10.50 though that is more than I usually pay. I know some people eat sandwiches but that's not a proper lunch.

sure it is - why not just make a salad or something and take that to eat.

Spending £10.50 a day for lunch is imo nuts

Or indeed take something more substantial, if that's what you prefer to eat at lunch time.  You can even invest in a wide-mouthed thermos or other insulated box to take a hot, cooked meal if that's what you want.

And of course there’s the traditional hearty lunch of the working man, a Cornish pasty, which you can heat up on the car engine if you’ve had to travel.

To be fair, if you are true Cornish (or any other type of Celt) you don't need the excuse of travelling to enjoy heating it up on the car engine.  It's part of the fun

Thrugelmir

Stardustjunkie said:

My partner has travelled to a client today, leaving at 4am and won’t be back until 8/9pm tonight.

Does the employer have an obligation to pay expenses when the staff member is away from the office, working an exceptionally long day/outside of their usual working hours.

Isn't this a discussion for your partner to have with their employer. Seems pre-emptive to concern yourself without the full facts. Given that employers normally have written policies for such eventualities. 

Stardustjunkie

Thanks everyone for your input. Not sure how we ended up discussing the merits of meat, but as a vegetarian I have to admit I found it amusing!  especially the idea that extra kebab meat is a good lunch!

For those saying it should be pre agreed or I shouldn’t be concerned… policies and procedures really aren’t their strong point and it’s not uncommon for their staff (and partners) to do research and inform them what they should be doing. They were underpaying holiday pay for example, and it’s much easier to challenge it when you have the facts. Unfortunately we couldn’t find anything to suggest they are required to provide sustenance, so I asked here in case there was.

Again, thank you!

Mistral001

Different sectors have different policies on expenses. 

Do not be too critical of hubby, he knows his sector know doubt.  

Sandtree

ushjr said:
A proper lunch needs to be cooked and contain meat.

Damn, I so enjoyed my steak tartare for lunch

Stardustjunkie

Mistral001 said:

Different sectors have different policies on expenses. 

Do not be too critical of hubby, he knows his sector know doubt.  

I haven’t been critical of him 😊 he worked a long hard day and he can buy whatever he needs to keep him going. Unfortunately it’s the management of the company that don’t seem to know anything about employing staff!

MalMonroe

ushjr said:

Too many people to quote so I'll just respond to all in one go. 

I don't spend £10.50 every day, it's normally £5-£7 that I spend. People spend almost £5 on sandwiches at Pret, I'd rather pay a little extra for something more filling. If people want to be vegetarian or vegan that's up to them but it's definitely not for me. I once went to a vegetarian restaurant (not my choice) and ending up going for a kebab after. I know others struggle not to eat meat, a friend of mine had been vegetarian for a few months and I met up with him for a few beers and at the end of the night he was stuffing his face with chicken from KFC. As for an early grave, I honestly can't see how eating meat will do that, it's what humans have done for centuries. I'd rather have an early grave than a long miserable meat free life though.

Very kind of you but you aren't actually the OP, who didn't open a debate about vegetarianism vs carnivorism.

However I do have to say that I am a vegetarian and am very offended by your statement that a meat free life is miserable. My life is far from miserable. If it takes meat to make anyone's life happy, then something has gone very wrong. I can't say that not eating meat is any healthier than eating meat for me because I have to sometimes take supplements to avoid developing anaemia. I'm not sure that I'll have a longer life than anyone else, either. People can choose to eat what they like, doesn't mean they're miserable or that they think they are better than anyone else.

Why not try making your own sandwiches for lunch? You're spending a minimum of £25 per week now. That's crazy. When I was working outside the home I made my own (meat-free) sandwiches for lunch every day. With an occasional trip to a cafe with colleagues for a treat.

gettingtheresometime

£15 !

Not sure what I would have done for breakfast (probably a McDonalds latte as that fills me up) and I'd have bought a Tesco meal deal for lunch. Might have splashed out on car snacks but I'm sure I'd have change from £10.

Isn't the current advice to reduce the amount of red meat eaten?

Brie

depending on the circumstances providing food can be considered a taxable benefit.  So that daily meaty kebab might add about £2500 a year to your "salary" and possibly push you above a higher tax threshold.  Maybe I'm cheap but I can't imagine someone being paid a modest lower tax bracket wage will be spending £50 a week for lunch.  

But I can't see anything on gov.uk sites that suggest that an employer MUST pay for lunch/meals.

juraj.kecso

Your partner's employer's expense policy should be your first stop.

Our employer does provide for up to £5 for breakfast if having to leave on a business journey before 6.00pm and £10 if arriving home after 9.00pm