Working away from home - accommodation 2 April 2022 at 10:48AM in Employment, jobseeking & training 14 replies 982 views

modeno65

Hi

We work away from home a fair bit staying in various types of accommodation. Sometimes the company pre books which is fine but they are pushing us to book our own. Is there a minimum amount that they have to give us per night for this. I seem to remember some years ago it was £37 i think. Also is there an amount that they should provide for food etc . If not is this claimable at all
Cheers

Undervalued

As far as I know there are no legal minimums and this is entirely a contractual matter.

TELLIT01

The amount required for overnight accommodation and food will vary depending on where in the country you travel to.  You might get decent overnight accommodation in some areas for £50 per night and a meal for £20.  Don't try that in London.

Yes you will be able to claim costs back as expenses, but it is essential that you know the maximum amount you can claim prior to making any bookings.

Jillanddy

I don't believe there is a maximum as such, but that "various types of accommodation" bit worried me because some such things are considered taxable benefits. If I go to a conference for one or two days and get a hotel room for a couple of nights, that isn't a taxable benefit although my employer does place a maximum amount I can claim. But if the "staying away a fair bit" involves more than a couple of nights, and if "various types of accommodation" means things that may be considered "living accommodation" then even if it isn't your normal home, this can be a taxable benefit. At that point my knowledge on the matter is almost entirely exhausted, but you might want to check that this doesn't include your circumstances.

robatwork

When I did this and we recharged clients there wasn't a min/max but we agreed with clients on a "standard" Premier Inn level. So a job in Glenrothes may have involved a  £50 hotel but one in central London would have been £120 for example. 

modeno65

Thanks for the feedback 

isplumm

modeno65 said:

Thanks for the feedback 

daft question - but what does your company say the allowance is?

StevenB12

Unfortunately not.

I've worked away for 9 years now under various different company policies of night out money etc.

My current employer gives us £50 a night, that is to find your own accommodation AND meals etc. It was £60 but they lowered it after budget reshuffles.

My old employer pre booked digs, usually Premier Inn or travel lodge, and would give us £20 a night for food, £24 for London. This was paid the following week.

My first working away company would either book a hotel, you had to pay for food etc and then hand receipts in, eve tally we got a £500 float to last the month, this was for booking hotels and food.


As far as I know, there is no minimum required amount to be supplied by a company for working away. 

RogerBareford

With the company i work for i don't travel for work often and even though it's quite a big company they don't have any policy on what the maximum spend is and the only rules are what is "reasonable". I've always aimed at booking places no more than £120 a night including breakfast and spending up to £50 a night on evening meal and they consider this "reasonable" but is probably far too much for regular travel so there is quite a range from employer to employer so you need to speak your employer really.

ReadingTim

There should be a company policy on this, so try and find that, or ask HR to send you a copy. 

As a rough rule of thumb though, if you book yourself into the same sort/standard of hotels the company usually books for you, they shouldn't have too much grounds for complaint.  Similarly with food - if they provide an evening meal in the hotel restaurant, you could probably do the same and expense it.  Don't take the mickey and you should be fine.  

Marcon

modeno65 said:

Hi

We work away from home a fair bit staying in various types of accommodation. Sometimes the company pre books which is fine but they are pushing us to book our own. Is there a minimum amount that they have to give us per night for this. I seem to remember some years ago it was £37 i think. Also is there an amount that they should provide for food etc . If not is this claimable at all
Cheers

What happens if you push back?