Business Miles NHS

throughtheblue

My boss is wanting me to cover a shift at a different site, and I'm entitled to claim business miles as it's not my base. I'm happy to do it, but I'm worried that when my boss see's the expenses he'll choose not to send me and I'll be left paying higher on business insurance, where as I currently get by with social/pleasure and commuting on insurance. 

My roundtrip is 60 miles, and the current enhanced rate is 61p, which would be 36.60 in expenses. Knowing my manager, and soon as he see's this expense, he will choose just to send someone who can get a return train ticket for a tenner. 

What's the best way to deal with this situation?

baser999

If they’re insisting you work at the other site I can’t see that the mileage claim should be an issue, provided it’s genuine; someone will no doubt check using AA route planner or similar. 

As for the insurance, I believe commuting would cover the second site for the one-off visit. It’s when you’re travelling around across various sites on a regular basis it may be affected. Worth checking though.
Would there be an issue if someone was sent in your place?

throughtheblue

baser999 said:

If they’re insisting you work at the other site I can’t see that the mileage claim should be an issue, provided it’s genuine; someone will no doubt check using AA route planner or similar. 

As for the insurance, I believe commuting would cover the second site for the one-off visit. It’s when you’re travelling around across various sites on a regular basis it may be affected. Worth checking though.
Would there be an issue if someone was sent in your place?

The 60 miles I quoted is the shortest route, and not the one I actually take, otherwise it would be 80. 
I would be covering once a week maximum, realistically it would be once per fortnight. I'm a named driver as my partner uses the car most of the week, but I am covered for commuting. I need to see what the trust policy is regarding specification of insurance type to claim miles. 
There wouldn't be an issue sending someone else, but my manager treats the department budget like his own personal bank account, and my hunch is that he'd avoid sending me unless he really had to if he got the project claim from me.

unforeseen

Commuting normally covers a single place of work so business cover would be needed

throughtheblue

unforeseen said:

Commuting normally covers a single place of work so business cover would be needed

That was my understanding. What happens if it was sporadic, say once per month?

My worry is that as soon as I change my insurance and then claim my expenses my manager will not want to pay out 36 pound a trip, when he can ask a few people closer that have 10 pound train expenses. Then I'll be left with more expensive insurance I won't end up needing.

It's a bit sad, but I feel like I know how his brain works with this stuff.

Bobbobbobingalong

Business usage on your insurance will cost at most, pence. Most often it is added for free upon request. That said, if there is a significant cost you should claim it as a business expense after all, you wouldn't have incurred it if it weren't for your employer. In any event, you should not go anywhere other than your normal place of work without it or the 6 points, fine and increased insurance premia for years will be expensive and that you certainly cannot reclaim that on expenses.

throughtheblue

Bobbobbobingalong said:

Business usage on your insurance will cost at most, pence. Most often it is added for free upon request. That said, if there is a significant cost you should claim it as a business expense after all, you wouldn't have incurred it if it weren't for your employer. In any event, you should not go anywhere other than your normal place of work without it or the 6 points, fine and increased insurance premia for years will be expensive and that you certainly cannot reclaim that on expenses.

I'm unsure if it's a grey area with my job, maybe you can help answer. I probably need business insurance to claim expenses, but I wonder if my commute insurance would cover me travelling there regardless. 

I've been as long as 3 months without covering the clinic away from my base. It's not a regular occurrence, and would usually be if there was something unpredicted like staff sickness, or a last minute change.

Rodders53

No good wondering / worrying / speculating...

1)  Ask your insurance company for their take on the cover, and the additional premium (if any) that they'd want for what you might be doing in the future.  Likely will be a one off charge for any policy amendment if you go ahead with a change to business use even if there's no premium change.

2) Speak to your boss and agree (or not) that the mileage cost will be paid (presumably in line with the expenses handbook) before accepting to go to this other place.  Don't forget parking charges (if applicable).  Nor the extra travel time cf normal commute: is that paid or unpaid.

Is this 60 (or 80) mile round trip the distance between the two workplaces or from your home?  Some expenses guidelines have specific rules on how to calculate the miles wrt distance from home to normal workplace and if one passes (near) that place en route to the other workplace, or not.  You should have access to read such guidelines, of course.

throughtheblue

Rodders53 said:

No good wondering / worrying / speculating...

1)  Ask your insurance company for their take on the cover, and the additional premium (if any) that they'd want for what you might be doing in the future.  Likely will be a one off charge for any policy amendment if you go ahead with a change to business use even if there's no premium change.

2) Speak to your boss and agree (or not) that the mileage cost will be paid (presumably in line with the expenses handbook) before accepting to go to this other place.  Don't forget parking charges (if applicable).  Nor the extra travel time cf normal commute: is that paid or unpaid.

Is this 60 (or 80) mile round trip the distance between the two workplaces or from your home?  Some expenses guidelines have specific rules on how to calculate the miles wrt distance from home to normal workplace and if one passes (near) that place en route to the other workplace, or not.  You should have access to read such guidelines, of course.

I believe when I read the trusts policy, when working away from my base, I can claim from the distance of my home to new location, but would need to confirm. 

It seemed as though I'd just need to Class 2 business insurance, to cover named driver as well, but what I've read, 'This offers the same as Class 1 but includes an additional named driver, who'll usually work for the same business'. Me and my partner don't work for the same business, however my base is on route to hers, but obviously not with the occasional work from base. Agree, I'll need me or my partner to phone and see what they say. 

unforeseen

throughtheblue said:

unforeseen said:

Commuting normally covers a single place of work so business cover would be needed

That was my understanding. What happens if it was sporadic, say once per month?

If your employer is paying you mileage then you MUST have business insurance. The trust that I used to work for would insist on seeing the insurance cover before the first payment and annually after that

Grumpy_chap

I agree with others that travel to a second work site would require business insurance.  It is often not expensive to add - have you asked your insurer?

Bobbobbobingalong said:

Business usage on your insurance
if there is a significant cost you should claim it as a business expense after all, you wouldn't have incurred it if it weren't for your employer. I

I disagree with the insurance uplift being separately claimable through work expenses. 

The employer pays a mileage rate which is deemed to cover all the costs of running a car for business, so that pence per mile rate already includes an allowance for the insurance (including any uplift for business use).

throughtheblue said:

the current enhanced rate is 61p, 

At that mileage rate, there will be a BIK income tax liability arising.