Expenses for travelling to work during holiday

[andyps]

Next week I am on holiday in France but have been offered some work in the UK which means that I will fly back for a couple of days. I am self employed (through a limited company) - is it acceptable to claim the travel costs for this trip back to the UK as a business expense? The work is pretty well paid, but also strategically helpful for my business so accepting it was a logical thing to do, but obviously involves costs I wouldn't have faced had I not already been booked to be away. Any advice gratefully received.

[Eric Mc]

You need to be clear in your head that you are definitely NOT self employed in any way. You operate a business through a limited company which is a very different legal concept.

As for travel back home from a holiday - I would suggest that such a journey (for whatever reason) could never be treated as a business trip and, what's more, if the company pays for these travel costs, you could be looking at a taxable Benefit in Kind as well.

[andyps]

Eric Mc said:

You need to be clear in your head that you are definitely NOT self employed in any way. You operate a business through a limited company which is a very different legal concept.

As for travel back home from a holiday - I would suggest that such a journey (for whatever reason) could never be treated as a business trip and, what's more, if the company pays for these travel costs, you could be looking at a taxable Benefit in Kind as well.

Thanks Eric. I do realise that I am not self-employed (through the Limited co. anyway), just trying to indicate that it isn't a boss asking me to work during a holiday.

I thought that would probably be the case regarding the expense, but am ever hopeful that the taxman might have some generosity! It is genuine, and I thought there must be times when people do interrupt holidays to return to work where they are not expected to pay the costs personally which the revenue would consider legitimate business expense.

[Eric Mc]

andyps said:

Eric Mc said:

You need to be clear in your head that you are definitely NOT self employed in any way. You operate a business through a limited company which is a very different legal concept.

As for travel back home from a holiday - I would suggest that such a journey (for whatever reason) could never be treated as a business trip and, what's more, if the company pays for these travel costs, you could be looking at a taxable Benefit in Kind as well.

Thanks Eric. I do realise that I am not self-employed (through the Limited co. anyway), just trying to indicate that it isn't a boss asking me to work during a holiday.

I thought that would probably be the case regarding the expense, but am ever hopeful that the taxman might have some generosity! It is genuine, and I thought there must be times when people do interrupt holidays to return to work where they are not expected to pay the costs personally which the revenue would consider legitimate business expense.

No such luck.

[andyps]

Thanks again.