New company car user - understanding costs

New company car user - understanding costs

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Discussion

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
Hi all

I've got a new role which gets me a company car but I don't fully understand the cost implications. I don't get a fuel card.

Is it literally the BIK cost that comes off my net or gross wage?

Looking at a Merc c300e and using comcar.co.uk it suggests I'll be paying about £140 a month it gives a cost at basic and at 40% rate. Does it amortise the 40% rate?

When I tick private fuel it adds 50 quid. What does this mean?

Any other costs?

Thanks

Scrump

22,001 posts

158 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
You pay tax on the BIK (20% or 40% depending on which tax band you are in).
In effect the BIK is the financial value that HMRC put on you having tje car so tax you on that amount. The BIK amount is itself calculated on the list price of tje car and tje emissions level, comcar is a good site for working this out.

Private fuel will apply if your get private fuel paid for, it sounds from your post that you won’t get this.

Be aware that electric cars have very low BIK so are very cost effective as a company car.

If you have a conventionally powered car then there are HMRC limits on how much you can claim back for the fuel for business miles, my experience is that this rate barely covers the actual cost. There used to be some cars that were better for this than others as I recall cars over 2.0 are allowed a higher rate, so a 2.1 diesel (Mercedes) was preferable to a 2.0 diesel (BMW).

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
Scrump said:
You pay tax on the BIK (20% or 40% depending on which tax band you are in).
In effect the BIK is the financial value that HMRC put on you having tje car so tax you on that amount. The BIK amount is itself calculated on the list price of tje car and tje emissions level, comcar is a good site for working this out.

Private fuel will apply if your get private fuel paid for, it sounds from your post that you won’t get this.

Be aware that electric cars have very low BIK so are very cost effective as a company car.

If you have a conventionally powered car then there are HMRC limits on how much you can claim back for the fuel for business miles, my experience is that this rate barely covers the actual cost. There used to be some cars that were better for this than others as I recall cars over 2.0 are allowed a higher rate, so a 2.1 diesel (Mercedes) was preferable to a 2.0 diesel (BMW).
Thanks, I will definitely be getting a PHEV, likely a C300e as it gives c. 60 miles electric range.

I can relax that it'll be BIK I'll pay and nothing else.

Is it off my gross or net wage do you know?

Uncle boshy

262 posts

69 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
The BIK is the value hrmc attribute to the car.

So let’s say you get paid £30k and the car has a BIK value of £4K

Hmrc then say you effectively earn £34k ( salary plus BIK) and then tax you on the whole lot.

How much you pay depends on your marginal tax rate, but effectively your take home pay goes down by about £1700 a year on a c300e if your a 40% tax payer.

4K x 40% = £1699


heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
Uncle boshy said:
The BIK is the value hrmc attribute to the car.

So let’s say you get paid £30k and the car has a BIK value of £4K

Hmrc then say you effectively earn £34k ( salary plus BIK) and then tax you on the whole lot.

How much you pay depends on your marginal tax rate, but effectively your take home pay goes down by about £1700 a year on a c300e if your a 40% tax payer.

4K x 40% = £1699
Thanks very much for this.

Were also moving into a new, bigger house so just don't want any nasty financial surprises - I can relax a bit now.

IJWS15

1,848 posts

85 months

Friday 10th June 2022
quotequote all
http://cccfcalculator.hmrc.gov.uk/CCF0.aspx

You will pay tax on 8% of the value based on the MB site so approx 4k is taken of your SP tax free allowance. How much you actually pay depends on how far over the 40% rate cut off you are.


PorkInsider

5,888 posts

141 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
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Comcar is pretty good for detailing the exact costs based on your salary, the chosen car, personal use, etc., etc.

https://comcar.co.uk/


heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
quotequote all
PorkInsider said:
Comcar is pretty good for detailing the exact costs based on your salary, the chosen car, personal use, etc., etc.

https://comcar.co.uk/
Cheers. Very useful.

PorkInsider

5,888 posts

141 months

Saturday 11th June 2022
quotequote all
heisthegaffer said:
PorkInsider said:
Comcar is pretty good for detailing the exact costs based on your salary, the chosen car, personal use, etc., etc.

https://comcar.co.uk/
Cheers. Very useful.
Sorry, just realised you'd already mentioned comcar in your first post biggrin

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Sunday 12th June 2022
quotequote all
PorkInsider said:
heisthegaffer said:
PorkInsider said:
Comcar is pretty good for detailing the exact costs based on your salary, the chosen car, personal use, etc., etc.

https://comcar.co.uk/
Cheers. Very useful.
Sorry, just realised you'd already mentioned comcar in your first post biggrin
Ha ha no worries at all mate... I appreciate people responding to my daft questions!

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Tuesday 14th June 2022
quotequote all
One last question people please, if inorder options does it have a major impact like it does on leasing or just reflected proportionately in the BIK?

Thanks again all.

Bullett

10,886 posts

184 months

Tuesday 14th June 2022
quotequote all
I may have missed it but you may also have to pay a contribution depending on the car and it usually has to be on the 'list' you can't just pick anything.

Assuming you could have anything the standard 'allowance' might get you a poverty spec BMW 1 series. You just pay the BIK. If you wanted an M3 instead then you will have to pay the additional contribution + the BIK on top (of a more expensive car).

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Bullett said:
I may have missed it but you may also have to pay a contribution depending on the car and it usually has to be on the 'list' you can't just pick anything.

Assuming you could have anything the standard 'allowance' might get you a poverty spec BMW 1 series. You just pay the BIK. If you wanted an M3 instead then you will have to pay the additional contribution + the BIK on top (of a more expensive car).
Thanks. Hopefully I'll be in line for something like a 330e, C300e or V60 recharge. I really don't want to be paying more than the BIK.

Bullett

10,886 posts

184 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Ask to see the list. It will have the selection and and contribution you will need to make (if any). The free cars are nearly always worse than you are expecting!

Also ask if they have reallocations, usually available at a discounted contribution. The wife just picked up an i-pace for £0 + £25 a month BIK as it was a reallocation. A new one was £150+BIK (still cheap)


Tankrizzo

7,269 posts

193 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
I don't know what job you do, but a lot of companies grade their company car drivers, so Grade A for example may only see a certain list of vehicles.

There are usually zero-cost vehicles - so the vehicle rental is the same as your grade allowance, and you just pay the BIK. If you go for a more expensive car this is known as a 'trade up' so you have to pay your allowance (so zero for you) plus whatever the difference on top is. Similarly, if your company does this, sometimes they may credit you some allowance back for going for a car cheaper than your allowance (a 'trade down').

If you add cost options to the car depending on your company policy, you may have to either pay for them separately, or the rental will increase and you pay the difference as per a trade up. This will also affect the BIK as you're increasing the P11D value of the car.

If you only want to pay the BIK and nothing else, then you need to pick the zero cost vehicles and don't spec them up like a christmas tree, stick to zero cost options.

A lot will depend on your company policy.

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Thanks all. I am waiting for access to the list as HR still processing my role change. Verbally I've been told the 330e and C300e will be available to me but unsure on the T6.

Perhaps I'll have to go easy on the options albeit I really do fancy a grey car with red leather!

750turbo

6,164 posts

224 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
OP - I hope you do not stay up here in Scotland otherwise, if you earn more that 43ish? You are straingt into 40% tax rate.

SNP bds!

heisthegaffer

Original Poster:

3,399 posts

198 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
750turbo said:
OP - I hope you do not stay up here in Scotland otherwise, if you earn more that 43ish? You are straingt into 40% tax rate.

SNP bds!
I'm a Southern softy me!

Comcar

10 posts

195 months

Thursday 16th June 2022
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Comcar will show you the impact of adding different options. You can also enter your expected salary to see what this does to your net pay. Your bigger problem might be delivery times. Everyone wants the low tax versions, but there are not many in the pipeline due to chip shortages.

andburg

7,288 posts

169 months

Thursday 16th June 2022
quotequote all
one thing really worth considering is a downgrade.

At my employer the list is graded with payments for downgrades, its become quite popular to downgrade to a small EV with a very small BIK value.

swapping a BMW 330E etc with a fuel card for a Cupra Born with 260miles of range may not sound exciting but for a 40% taxpayer it has a huge financial benefit which pays to run a fun weekend car.