Travel expenses - please bear with me, a bit long.

[Abitcomplex]

Hi, hope somebody can give me advice on travel expenses?

Basically, I work for an NHS Trust which covers 4 hospitals.

Until August 2014, I worked in one of the 4 hospitals which was close to home.

I was asked by my manager if I would be ok to work briefly at another site (same role) to cover annual leave/staff shortage until they had a date for a replacement to start.

I was informed I'd be there about 3 weeks, possibly a month. This other site is a 10 mile trip each way.

When I started at the other site, I asked if I could claim travel expenses, but was informed that as I was only there temporarily, I couldn't make a claim. Fair enough. Only, I'm still there.

The person replacing me did not materialise. I am happy there, happy to stay on, but still on a temporary basis as we are due a reconfiguration (Health Records) very soon.

I decided to see if I could again apply for expenses, as a few months have passed, but according to the conditions, I can only claim if I was sent there against my will/Trust reorganisation. I agreed to go, I had a choice, but thought it was only for a few weeks. Is it worth persuing, or wait to see what happens after reconfiguration? Is there a certain amount of time passes that they would have to pay me expenses, I hate mithering management as they are busy and its a much bigger hospital. MTIA

[MrsBeornBear]

Seems odd, you need to see exactly what your T+S policy says but normally if you were sent "Temporarily" you should get travel paid. (there would be a time limit defining what temp means it's up to 3 months where I work) and you would probably have to deduct normal home to work journey So if for up to 3 months I work somewhere that is 10 miles away, as opposed to my normal workplace 5 miles away I can claim 5 miles for each journey.)
After 3 months no more travel expenses.
You seem to be the other way round?

[Abitcomplex]

Thanks Mrs, I will send an email to my manager regarding this tomorrow.

I did ask a few months ago, and my manager was very vague and mentioned the reconfiguration. but that shouldn't count, shouldn't it?

I appreciate I could be somewhere else after the reconfig, but meanwhile its costing me a bit in diesel.

[PervyMuskrat]

If your employer won't pay, you should be able to claim tax relief on the mileage as it's a temporary place of work.

Gov.uk guidance is here www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/business-mileage-fuel-costs

[AlternativeTentacles]

Does your contract say you work at x hospital and that you may be asked to work at a different hospital from time to time?

And on the issue of you being sent against your will - if you had asked yourself then I'd say it wasn't against your will but if they ask you, even if you have agreed, then surely that is against your will?

Look at the wording of your contract and the travel expenses policy and quote it at them.

[Abitcomplex]

Alternative, dh said exactly that regarding being here against my will, even though I agreed to come.

I thought that it was for people that have been transferred after departmental closure, therefore having no choice.

[Abitcomplex]

Pervy, thanks for the link, I'll look into it.

[AlternativeTentacles]

But you had no choice as they were the ones that asked you to go.

[Abitcomplex]

Sorry, meant to put dh agrees about me being there against my will despite agreeing to go, not the opposite.

Definitely getting this sorted now. Thanks all who contributed. xx