Home care worker mileage tax claim

clareplayfoot

Hi

I’m a care worker in the community and have to travel between houses day in day out in my own car. I can do upto 15 calls a day and around 100-150miles a week. I do not get paid any mileage for this work. I have tried to claim back tax relief from HMRC as have been paying tax for the last 3 years but have been refused as I need to provide every postcode for every visit I make each day. I make upto 60 calls a week! Is this really the only way I can claim? I’ve asked my work if they can provide this information but due to GDPR they are not able to supply me with customers addresses!
Help!?

Isthisforreal99

I'm confuaed - surely you know the addresses you are going to? You can get postcodes from Post Office checker.

elsien

Is the information not on the mileage claims that you make? We have to log every journey with the start and the end point.

They are correct about having to use the postcode for each trip but I’m slightly dubious about your company’s GDPR claim. Are you in a union?

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82147451#Comment_82147451

The OP said -

I do not get paid any mileage for this work.

So presumably not much point logging every journey

My advice to the OP would be to change to a more generous employer, as they are losing out around £75 a week.

clareplayfoot

my point is i do upto 60 calls a week so that is a lot of information to provide…

Isthisforreal99

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82147478#Comment_82147478

Well, the point is you are making a claim to HMRC and they want more info to support that claim.

elsien

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82147478#Comment_82147478

I keep a diary in the car.
And every time I arrive somewhere I put the postcode and I check the mileage. You could create your own mileage form to fill in as you go along which will mean you don’t have to write it out again for HMRC..

sheramber

If that is what HMRC need as proof of your claim then that is what you have to supply.

Keep a notebook in the car.
when you stop at a client. Note the details- post code and mileage.

You need to keep a record of business mileage to eliminate. Claiming any personal use.

mills112

the way HMRC works is that you need to have detail of every transaction, no matter how many there are. so yes, you need to record details of each visit if you want to claim mileage.

if you start a spreadsheet and log it daily it won't be too bad after a while as you get used to it.

QrizB

My advice to the OP would be to change to a more generous employer, as they are losing out around £75 a week.

I'd also be checking that this out-of-pocket expense doesn't have NMW consequences.

OP what's your rate of pay for this work? Hopefully you're making at least £75 per week above NMW?

See:

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/national-minimum-wage-manual/nmwm11170

sherlock228

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82147478#Comment_82147478

nonetheless in order to claim tax relief you are required to maintain a log of the journeys you make, start point, destination and end point. That same rule applies to anyone. In your case your start and end point for each journey are each address you go from and to.

Claim tax relief for your job expenses: Vehicles you use for work - GOV.UK

How to claim

When you claim, you must send HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) copies of your mileage logs. These logs must include:

• the reason for every journey
• the postcode for the start point of every journey
• the postcode for the end point of every journey

Note if you are home based per the terms of your contract then every journey you make is "business" mileage and therefore, as per post above, pay great attention to the effect that has on national minimum wage rate of pay since your mileage is not reimbursed by your employer.