10th February 2011, 06:38 PM
I may be wrong with this but as I understand it if you are self employed you usual place of work is your office ( home if you do not have an office). If you are self employed but visiting the same office or site on a daily basis as part of a contract you can claim travel expenses (including parking) for up to two years visiting the same place on a daily basis or so I was told on a self assesment course run by the tax office. If the company you have a self employed contract with pays your expenses you have to declare that to the tax office but you are unlikley to have to pay tax on it unless it is above the tax office recomended rates.
If you are employed on PAYE your company can pay you expenses if you are away from your normal place of work, however they can pay what they like and you then can claim any deficit as a tax rebate or have to pay extra tax if the Tax people think it is more than their accepted guide lines( very unlikely in archaeology!). If you are PAYE on a short site specific contract then that site is your place of work and you can not claim anything for travel.
They key seems to be understand the terms and conditions under which you are employed and understand your tax situation. If you have to fork out for protective clothing or provide yourself with a car to be able to work (not just getting to the office or back) find out where you stand tax wise as there are things you can claim back on tax especially if you are a low earner.
The employer is supposed to tell the tax office what expenses and subsidies they are paying to their employees and some of them are probably not too straight about this and could get into trouble with the tax office.
What is needed is good advice from the tax people about what you can and cannot claim and do not rely on your employer to tell you what you are entitled to. This is readily available along with free courses on selfemployment and self assesment
What counts as work time or travel time is up to the terms and conditions of your contract .... you do have a contract?
As I said at the begining I may be wrong on this
If you are employed on PAYE your company can pay you expenses if you are away from your normal place of work, however they can pay what they like and you then can claim any deficit as a tax rebate or have to pay extra tax if the Tax people think it is more than their accepted guide lines( very unlikely in archaeology!). If you are PAYE on a short site specific contract then that site is your place of work and you can not claim anything for travel.
They key seems to be understand the terms and conditions under which you are employed and understand your tax situation. If you have to fork out for protective clothing or provide yourself with a car to be able to work (not just getting to the office or back) find out where you stand tax wise as there are things you can claim back on tax especially if you are a low earner.
The employer is supposed to tell the tax office what expenses and subsidies they are paying to their employees and some of them are probably not too straight about this and could get into trouble with the tax office.
What is needed is good advice from the tax people about what you can and cannot claim and do not rely on your employer to tell you what you are entitled to. This is readily available along with free courses on selfemployment and self assesment
What counts as work time or travel time is up to the terms and conditions of your contract .... you do have a contract?
As I said at the begining I may be wrong on this