palmersport - business expense?
palmersport - business expense?
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cheeky_chops

Original Poster:

1,613 posts

268 months

Wednesday 5th May 2021
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People talk about doing palmersport as a "corporate day" - Is this tax deductable for a small company and if so, is there any restrictions on who can go on it??

Terminator X

18,046 posts

221 months

Wednesday 5th May 2021
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Client entertainment?

TX.

foliedouce

3,094 posts

248 months

Thursday 6th May 2021
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I’m not an Accountant but from the days when I did a lot of client and staff entertaining,:-

I remember we had to pay benefit in kind for any staff jollies (over £150 per head from memory), this was paid annually via a PSA.

Although client entertaining didn’t attract BiK, it wasn’t deductible for tax purposes.

I’m off to a Palmersport day in June, they look really good so hope you get to go.


trickywoo

13,155 posts

247 months

Thursday 6th May 2021
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foliedouce said:
I’m not an Accountant but from the days when I did a lot of client and staff entertaining,:-

I remember we had to pay benefit in kind for any staff jollies (over £150 per head from memory), this was paid annually via a PSA.

Although client entertaining didn’t attract BiK, it wasn’t deductible for tax purposes.

I’m off to a Palmersport day in June, they look really good so hope you get to go.
This is my understanding too.

The £150 can be spread over multiple events. I have ‘Christmas parties’ of £20 each Chinese takeaways throughout the year.

One thing to watch with it is that the amount cannot exceed £150. If for example you spent £160 on one event none of it would be allowable under the £150 rule.

Countdown

45,010 posts

213 months

Thursday 6th May 2021
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trickywoo said:
foliedouce said:
I’m not an Accountant but from the days when I did a lot of client and staff entertaining,:-

I remember we had to pay benefit in kind for any staff jollies (over £150 per head from memory), this was paid annually via a PSA.

Although client entertaining didn’t attract BiK, it wasn’t deductible for tax purposes.

I’m off to a Palmersport day in June, they look really good so hope you get to go.
This is my understanding too.

The £150 can be spread over multiple events. I have ‘Christmas parties’ of £20 each Chinese takeaways throughout the year.

One thing to watch with it is that the amount cannot exceed £150. If for example you spent £160 on one event none of it would be allowable under the £150 rule.
Isn't one of the criteria that the event has to be offered/made available to EVERYBODY in the Company?

Eric Mc

124,085 posts

282 months

Thursday 6th May 2021
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"Yes" is the answer.

HMRC does not like "Entertaining" at all. Therefore, they have very tight rules regarding how it is treated for tax purposes.

First of all, if the "Entertaining" is for outsiders i.e. customers, potential customers, suppliers or any other business associates, it is NEVER allowed in any circumstances AS A TAX DEDUCTIBLE expense. This does not mean that a business cannot have such expenditure. What it does mean is that it will not get any tax relief against its business profits for such expenditure.

Secondly, money spent to "Entertain" staff IS allowed as a business cost PROVIDED it stays within the limits mentioned above AND is available to all members of staff (i.e. no special treatment).

In the hands of the employee, "Entertainment" might be treated as a Taxable Benefit in Kind UNLESS it meets the above tests regrading expenditure limits and availability to all staff.

Spending money on a corporate track day would be reclaimable only if it was for staff and did not exceed the thresholds.

If the expenditure was for business associates, it would not be allowable as a tax deductible cost in the business.


dirty boy

14,788 posts

226 months

Wednesday 12th May 2021
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Eric Mc said:
If the expenditure was for business associates, it would not be allowable as a tax deductible cost in the business.
But still better than having a director needing to take money from the company and be taxed on it as income....

Eric Mc

124,085 posts

282 months

Wednesday 12th May 2021
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It WILL be taxed as income.

dirty boy

14,788 posts

226 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
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Eric Mc said:
It WILL be taxed as income.
I'm not trying to be awkward, I just think you choice of words, for once, is confusing.

It's not taxed as income, it's just not an allowable expense, they are different and it's an important distinction to base any spending decision on.

If a director entertained potential clients on a Palmersport day and let's be honest, whilst they're likely clients, they're all probably in the 'jobs for the mates' brigade, but still fits the criteria, then a director, who at presumably this level of spending ability, will be a higher rate tax payer and to partake ordinarilly in such a 'jolly' would pay out of their own heavily taxed pocket at 32.5-40%.

If the company pays for it, they don't, so it's still better for the company to pay it and add back in the computations.

Note further complexities with VAT!

48k

15,401 posts

165 months

Thursday 13th May 2021
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dirty boy said:
Note further complexities with VAT!
The OP mentions "small company" - if it's a director only company I believe there is a curveball with VAT that the company can't reclaim VAT for directors-only entertainment. I am in that situation as my company has corporate seats at Tottenham Stadium but it can't reclaim the VAT on them.

Sheepshanks

37,804 posts

136 months

Friday 14th May 2021
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cheeky_chops said:
People talk about doing palmersport as a "corporate day" - Is this tax deductable for a small company and if so, is there any restrictions on who can go on it??
Put it down as training?

Eric Mc

124,085 posts

282 months

Friday 14th May 2021
quotequote all
dirty boy said:
I'm not trying to be awkward, I just think you choice of words, for once, is confusing.

It's not taxed as income, it's just not an allowable expense, they are different and it's an important distinction to base any spending decision on.

If a director entertained potential clients on a Palmersport day and let's be honest, whilst they're likely clients, they're all probably in the 'jobs for the mates' brigade, but still fits the criteria, then a director, who at presumably this level of spending ability, will be a higher rate tax payer and to partake ordinarilly in such a 'jolly' would pay out of their own heavily taxed pocket at 32.5-40%.

If the company pays for it, they don't, so it's still better for the company to pay it and add back in the computations.

Note further complexities with VAT!
There are two aspects. If the business is disallowable as a cost in the business, the BUSINESS gets no tax relief against the business profits.

If a director is using his business to pay for something which is for his own benefit, such as sponsoring his own racing car, then that expenditure will both be disallowed for business purposes AND taxed in the hands of the director as part of his remuneration from the company.

There were a couple of tax cases a few years ago where this was the decision reached by HMRC. In those cases the expenditure was for a director's daughter who was involved in show jumping and hospitality at top flight rugby games.