New announcement. Learn more

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (ICAEW)

News and advice to help make your property business a success

Landlords TaxProperty TaxLandlords Tax ReturnsLandlords AccountsProperty Tax ReturnProperty AccountsTax ReturnsLandlords FinancialChartered AccountantsOnline AccountantOnline BookkeepingOnline Tax ReturnsYour Online AccountantYour Online BookkeeperTaxBusinessadviceAccountingCashflowProperty AccountantSmallbusinessVATBusinesstipsExpensesInheritance TaxPropertyTaxplanningCapital Gains TaxCgtFurnished Holiday LettingsLandlords AccountantPAYEProperty bookkeeperSDLTTaxreturnAllowable Business ExpensesAnnual Exempt AmountBusiness ExpensesBusiness RateCapital AllowancesCapital GainsCapital gains tax propertyComplianceDeductibleexpensesDisincorporationDividendsEmployment AllowanceFinanceFinancialmanagementGiftsHMRCHoliday Lets TaxIhtexemptionsIncome TaxInvestment Property TaxMaking Tax DigitalMakingTaxDigitalMileage AllowanceMobilephonesNICOverlapreliefPartnershipPartnershipbusinessesPensionPprProperty Company TaxProperty Tax Deductible ExpensesPropertyallowanceReimbursedexpensesRent a Room ReliefSmall BusinessTimetoPayVAT invoice60 day capital gains limitAbolitionclass2AccrualsbasisAcquisitionsAdvisoryfuelratesAIAirBnBAlphabet sharesAmapAnnual Tax on Enveloped DwellingsAppealArtificial intelligenceAssessmentAsset disposalAssociated CompanyAssociated Company Tax RulesAutumnstatementBad DebtBad Debt Tax ReliefBaddebtsBadgesoftradeBeancounterBenefits in KindBreakeven PointBudgetBusiness adviceBusiness asset defermentBusiness coachBusiness ContinuityBusiness EntertainmentBusiness RatesBusiness Rates ReliefBusiness tipsBusinessgrowthBusinesstypesBuy or Lease EquipmentBuytoletCapital Allowances for CarsCapital GainCapitalallowancesCapitalexpenditureCar Capital AllowancesCarry Back LossesCashbasisChange of Tax BasisChatGPTChild BenefitCIS SchemeCommon TenantCompanies ExpenditureCompanies HouseCompany Account DeadlinesCompany Account FilingCompany Strike OffCompany Tax Efficient PropertyCompanyassociationCompanyloanstaxfreeCompulsory Strike OffConstruction Industry SchemeContacthmrcContentmarketingContributionsCorporation Tax LossesCorporation Tax New RegimeCorporation Tax RatesCorporationTaxCostsCryptocurrencyCustomerlistimplicationsDeductible Business ExpensesDeductionsDemergerDepreciationDevelopmentDirectorsDirectors LoansDirectorsloansDisallowable Business ExpensesDiscoveryDividend allowanceDividend Allowance ReductionDividend PlanningDividendallowanceDLADomestic Items Tax ReliefDormantcompanyEmployee DiscountEmployee managementEmployeecompensationpaymentsEmployeeOwnershipTrustEndoflifeplanningEnquiryEnterpriseResourcePlanningEntertainmentEntrepreneurmindsetEquityExpenses Allowed For TaxExtrabenefitEyetestsFHLsFlippingFurnished Holiday Lets TaxGift AidGift AllowanceGrowthhacksHelp to pay tax billsHICBCHMO Licensing FeesHMRC complaintsHoldoverreliefHoliday Lettings TaxHow to apply for a Business LoanHow to Extract ProfitHumourHybridIllegaldividendsIncomeInflationary GainsInfluencersInheritance Tax Nil Rate BandInterest RatesInterestreliefInterestrestrictionISAJoint TenantKeypersoninsuranceLandlord RepairsLandlords Self AssessmentLate vat registrationLBTTLeadgenerationLeadmagnetLeanbusinessmodelLetting Agent DisbursementsLetting Agent RecharresLettingsLettings ReliefLimitedcompanyLiquidation DemergerLoaninterestLong Lets TaxLongserviceLTTMainresidencereliefManaged LetsManagement accountingMaritalhomedivorceMarriage allowanceMarriageallowanceMileage paymentMinimumwageMixedusesdltMortgage costsMortgage Interest ReliefNational InsuranceNew propertyNewcompanycarfuelratesNewnicrulesNIC 2023 to 2024NIC savingsNicdisregardNicreductionNMWNmwerrorsNon Allowable Business ExpensesNon-taxableNudgeletterOptiontotaxvatOverpayment ReliefPaperformParttimePatternofoccupancyPAYE by Direct DebitPayrollingPenaltypointsPension Payments Tax ReliefPensioncontributionsPensionsPerformance-reviewsPeriodofgracePeriodsofabsencePersonal ExpensesPersonal financePersonalallowancePersonalguaranteesPostcessationreliefPretradingexpensesProfitProfit-and-lossProfitAndLossProperty AllowanceProperty Development CompanyProperty IncorporationProperty Investment CompanyProperty investor accountsProperty investor tax tipsProperty LettingProperty Rental BusinessProperty TradingPropertycompanyRecharges by Estate AgentsRegularpaymentsReliefRent your driveRentalRentaroomResearch & DevolopmentResidence ReliefResidential property gainsResidentialsdltRetail stock controlRetainedprofitsRevenueRoom for rent taxRtiSASalarySDLT changesSection 455 TaxSection455taxSelective Licences LandlordsSelf AssessmentSelf-employednicSelfemployedSelling OnlineSeperationServicechargesSettlementslegislationSimplified ExpensesSmallbizSmallbusinessratereliefSoftwareSpring BudgetStaffpartiesStamp dutySuccessJourneyTax Allowance on DrivewaysTax AllowancesTax BreakTax CodesTax DeadlinesTax DeductionsTax Filing DeadlinesTax Free ChildcareTax free incomeTax on Company VansTax positionTax ReliefTax tips for landlordsTaxbillpaymentsTaxconsequencesTaxincentivesTaxpositionTaxpositionassetsTaxreliefTaxreliefsTaxsesTerminationpaymentsTipsTrade professionalTrainingTransfer AssetsTransfer Assets Between SpousesUmbrellacompanyUndisclosedincomeUnpaid RentVAT Bad Debt ReliefVAT DeadlinesVAT DisbursementsVAT PenaltiesVAT registrationVAT Reverse ChargeVatpenaltiesVatregisteredVatregistrationthresholdWellbeingWorking from home
TAGS

Mileage allowances – What can you pay tax-free?

Mileage allowances – What can you pay tax-free?

Employees often need to undertake business trips and it is common practice to reimburse the employee’s fuel costs by means of a mileage allowance. The tax rules allow mileage payments to be made tax-free up to certain limits. However, the rules are different depending on whether the employee is driving their own car or a company car.

Employees using their own cars

If an employee uses their own car for business, you can pay mileage allowances tax-free up to the ‘approved amount’. This is set for the tax year, rather than for each individual journey, and is found by multiplying the business mileage in the tax year by the approved mileage rate. For cars and vans, the approved mileage rate is set at 45p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in the tax year and at 25p per mile for any further business miles. For motorcycles, the rate is 24p per mile and for cycles the rate is 20p per mile.

The approved amount is the maximum amount that can be paid tax-free, even if the actual cost exceeds the approved amount.

Example

An employee drives 12,000 business miles in the tax year using his own car. The maximum that can be paid tax-free is £5,000 (10,000 miles @ 45p per mile plus 2,000 miles @ 25p per mile).

If the amount that is paid is less than the approved amount, the employee can claim tax relief for the difference between the approved amount and the mileage allowance paid, if any.

If the employee gives a lift to one or more colleagues, you can also make a tax-free passenger payment of 5p per passenger per business mile. There is no corresponding relief if you choose not to make passenger payments.

Company car drivers

If an employee has a company car but pays for the fuel, you can meet the cost of business mileage tax-free, as long as the amount paid does not exceed the current advisory fuel rate. The advisory fuel rates are set by HMRC and are updated quarterly. They are lower than the approved mileage rates because the approved rates also reflect depreciation and running costs, as well as the cost of the fuel. By contrast, the advisory rates are fuel-only rates.

The advisory rates applying from 1 March to 31 May 2023 are as shown in the table below.

Engine size                      Petrol – rate per mile LPG                    rate per mile                     1,400cc or less                   13p                                                            10p                           1,401cc to 2,000cc           15p                                                            11p                                 Over 2,000cc                    23p                                                           17p

 

Engine size                        Diesel – rate per mile

1,600cc or less                     13p

1,601cc to 2,000cc             15p

Over 2,000cc                      20p

If the employee drives an electric company car, you can pay a mileage rate of 9 pence per mile tax-free.