Fuel Card - Tax?

[T5R+]

Always been an opt out kind of person but in the midst of discussing a role that offers "car allowance and fuel card" but not "car off an approved list and fuel card".

The Recruitment Consultant says that you simply use the fuel card for both business and private fuel and subsequently taxed at 40% (I fall into this tax rate) based on the amount of fuel you use.

Does this make sense to anyone?

[andy-xr]

yes, you'll need to deduct personal mileage

You can just pay the personal from your own pocket, but you'll need to reconcile the mileage somehow. HR should be able to straighten it out

[T5R+]

The bit over personal use is interesting. So If I "understand" .....deduct business use from total mileage covered and pay tax only on the personal element OR total cost of personal usage?

The commute to/from work will be ~23,000miles per year i.e approx £4000 in fuel alone .....so cost to me will be approx £1600 or £4000.

HRDirector unsure and there is a big difference between £1600 and £4000.

[Eric Mc]

The commute counts as personal - as does all other non work related driving.

[T5R+]

Totally buy in to the commute as personal, the bit that could be the dealbreaker is.........if total personal mileage equates to say £4000.......am I liable for £4000 or £1600 (40% taxpayer so £4K x 0.4 = £1600).

[Eric Mc]

£1,600. It is like having additional salary of £4,000 and you will be charged 40% tax on that i.e. £1,600.

[T5R+]

[Chipchap]

Surely it is just taxed at the normal overall HMRC rate for a fuel card irrespective of distance ? I think from memory I pay around £110 per month in real terms for having a fully expensed car and fuel.


HR should know


A

[Who me ?]

Eric Mc said:

The commute counts as personal - as does all other non work related driving.

Can you not find some work related thing to cut down on personal mileage. E.G, lots of years ago we had this inflicted on us . At the time ,we had all spare parts sent out red star to local station, so first trip of day was to check out Red star .For me 2 mile.