20th August 2007, 12:07 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by voice of reason
Distance has nothing to do with it. Key is where is your contractual place of work - it is very certainly and firmly against HMRC rules to pay people to travel between their home and normal place of work.
I believe that VoR is right with regard to nearly all circumstances regarding HMRC regulations relating to travel between home and work, except..... there are HMRC regulations regarding travel allowances, where your place of work is a 'temporary' site such as a building site (or archaeological excavation).
I won't go into the precise rule here, because in my experience different tax offices 'interpret' temporary places of work in different ways, but I have been told in the past that if a site exists for less than 24 months, it can be considered as temporary.
Anyway the general gist of the regulation is that you can claim the cost of your fares between home and a 'temporary' workplace against tax. Employers that 'contract' you, to a temporary workplace and do not recompense your cost of travel, would seem to fit their staff exactly within the definition of this little known, but potentially valuable, HMRC regulation.
Members of the trade union 'Prospect' could take advantage of the free tax-advice service the union offers, to find out if they qualify for this benefit.