• What is a good Umbrella Company?
• Becoming an employee of an Umbrella company
• Application Forms
• Claiming Expenses
• Professional Indemnity Insurance
• Attending Jury Service?
• Stakeholder Pension
• Personal Accident Insurance
• Construction Industry Scheme - CIS
• Self Employment in Construction
• The CIS registration process
• Public Liability Insurance for CIS
• How do I apply for a National Insurance Number?

Claiming Expenses

Expenses claimed must be submitted on a weekly basis. Any expenses received will be processed by ourselves in accordance with current HMRC guidelines and if allowable, offset against your gross earnings for the relevant period.

If you are registered and paid through CIS then there is no need to submit expenses claims to Bar 2 on a weekly basis. Instead, you claim back the tax relief on any expenses incurred through a self-assessment return at the end of the tax year.

Allowable Expenses

The guidelines laid down by HM Revenue & Customs state that expenses claimed must be incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of your duty. There are strict rules in place which determine what you may claim and the Bar 2 expenses team are required by HMRC to validate that only legitimate expenses are claimed for. All claims are scrutinised and incorrect claims will be rejected.  It is important to understand that many of the expenses you are allowed to claim are allowable only because you become an employee of the Umbrella Company.

The Bar 2 Umbrella Company has been granted a dispensation from HMRC to simplify processing the large number of expenses claims we deal with on a weekly basis.  You must always be in a position to substantiate claims that you make and you should always either submit receipts or retain them for a period of 7 years.

Regardless of whether you are paid through the Umbrella Company or through CIS, it is important to remember that any expenses claimed must have been genuinely incurred during the course of your employment. False claims can result in an additional tax liability.

Submitting Expenses Claims

The process of claiming expenses is straightforward - you simply need to complete, sign and send us your claim form 48 hours before payment is due. We will then guarantee that they are processed and included in the calculations for your take-home pay.

Completed expenses claim forms can be submitted in one of four ways:

online:                                                  Call us to set up site access

by post to:                                            Unit 4, Century Court,
                                                            Moor Park Industrial Centre,
                                                            Tolpits Lane, Watford WD18 9RS

by fax to:                                              01923 242 806

by email to:                                           expenses@bar2.co.uk

What expenses can be claimed?

Mileage

A mileage allowance may be claimed if you use your own vehicle for travelling to and from your temporary workplace. A workplace will be regarded as temporary if only short-term assignments are undertaken. It will be regarded as a permanent place of work however if you work there continuously for 24 months or more, or you are made aware that the duration of the work will extend beyond that period.

Mileage allowance for cars and vans is paid at the rate of 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles during the tax year and 25p per mile thereafter. A lower rate of 24p per mile is paid for motorcycles. You need to keep your fuel receipts in an organised fashion at home OR you can send them to us for safe keeping for a period of 7 years.

Travel

Travel by rail, bus, air or taxi is allowable (subject to the 24-month rule) and can be claimed with appropriate receipts.

Parking

Claims for any car parking necessary during the course of your work are allowable.

Accommodation

You can claim for the cost of lodgings if you are staying away from your normal permanent residence in the course of your work.

In addition to the cost of accommodation, you are also entitled to claim up to £25 for daily subsistence allowances during the time you stay away from home.

Telephone calls

Business calls may be claimed for either landline or mobile phones. Itemised phone bills, with business calls highlighted, need to be provided for all claims.

Other expenses

• Congestion charges / road tolls may be claimed
• The cost of laundering work wear for branded or safety clothing
• The cost of safety wear / protective clothing (hi-vis jackets, safety boots etc)
• Annual eye tests
• Stationery costs
• Hired equipment
• Vehicle hire, including the cost of fuel and consumables
• Subscriptions to professional associations

You must always be in a position to substantiate expense claims for up to 7 years from the date they were submitted.  We will keep these records for you securely at no charge.

If you have any questions relating to your expenses claim, please call our Customer Care team on 0845 838 1641.