Claiming the 40p fuel on Company Car

Giblets

Hi there, I have heard loads of things about claiming tax back on your fuel, currently I have a leased company car, for which all the maintenance etc is paid. I do 30,000miles+ a year.
Currently we have two company fuel options:
1: Pay for the fuel yourself, and then claim the the buisiness mileage off the compnay.
2: All fuel goes on the company credit card, and private mileage is taken off your payroll (which I am on)

The company pays about 10p a mile for fuel (diesel) on either scheme (either taking off your personal or paying business mileage) I am not sure if I am allowed to claim up to 40p a mile tax back.
Could someone explain it please?
Cheers

toasterman

I might be wrong, but I'm not sure you're entitled to the 40p.
As I understand it, the reason you get 40p per mile is to cover not just fuel, but also maintenance, tyres etc..
If they're providing you with the car and maintaining it for you, I don't think you're entitled to it.

I use my own car for business use, and I think it's this form I fill in:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/p87.pdf

It does clearly say:
"You may request tax relief for expenses if you use your own car, van, motorcycle or cycle for business mileage"

Back when I had a company car, I had a lpg-converted Astra estate, for which I think I was taxed about £800 a year. I then got 9p a mile back for business mileage. Being a young man with no no-claims, living in the city, parking on the street - it was the only way I'd have afforded a car.
And it's probably still considerably cheaper than buying a car yourself, taxing it, insuring it, maintaining it..etc for the majority of people.

jennifernil

No, you are not entitled to claim tax on 40p per mile unless it is your own car.

Giblets

Thanks for that, one of the options we do have is to accept a car allowance, and you can buy/ lease your own car, would this enable you to claim the 40p?
Cheers

paulus

If you had a personal lease you can claim the 40p. It goes down to 25p for miles over 10k.

jennifernil

Just remember that the car allowance will be taxed same as your wages