15 September 2017

A quick reminder: Reporting expenses and benefits

Reporting benefits and expenses provided to employees

HMRC has recently updated its toolkit dealing with the reporting of expenses and benefits provided to employees and directors in the light of significant recent changes in this area.

HMRC toolkits are designed to help minimise the risk of errors in returns and computations and their use, although voluntary, will be taken into consideration in determining whether or not reasonable care has been taken in the completion of a return such as a form P11d reporting expenses and benefits.

Reminder:

It is no longer necessary to obtain a reporting dispensation from HMRC for certain reimbursed expenses such as travelling and subsistence. But it is still important for the employer to keep records to demonstrate that such expenses have been reviewed to ensure that they have been incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of the employee’s duties. The toolkit reminds us to keep a record of the date and details of the expenses and benefits provided with associated documentation and also a record of any contributions made by a director or employee towards the cost of expenses and benefits provided to them. This recording also includes the new exemption for the provision of trivial benefits to employees.

Trivial benefits

Remember that from 6 April 2016, benefits are exempt from tax and NICs if all the following conditions are satisfied:

?• the cost of providing the benefit if it does not exceed £50

• the benefit is not cash or a cash voucher

• the employee is not entitled to the benefit as part of their employment conditions

• the employer does not provide the benefit in recognition of particular services provided by the employee 

Where the employer is a close company and the benefit is provided to an individual who is a director or other office holder of the company (or to a member of their family or household) the exemption is capped at a total cost of £300 in the tax year.

Got a query about expenses and benefits reporting?

For more details download the HMRC tax toolkit or contact the RWB bookkeeping team on 0115 964 8860 with any questions.

The views provided in this article are for general information purposes only. Nothing in this article represents advice of any nature whatsoever. Accordingly, RWB CA Limited does not accept any liability or responsibility for the information contained in this article or any decision or other action that may be taken in reliance upon the information contained within it. RWB CA Limited accepts no responsibility for any errors of fact or opinion and assumes no obligation to provide you with any changes to its assumptions.