Using your own car for work?

Isn’t that discriminatory unless the job is actually driving? I know employers try and force people but can they legally? What happens when someone isn’t able to drive? Surely most places would have to accept someone also travelling by public transport to their main job

It would depend on your contract. If you're employed on the basis that you'll use your own car eg care work or you're given a car allowance and told that you have to use to run a car for work, they can force you.

Or its not in your contract and they want you to visit places for work, they'll have to provide a pool or hire car or pay for public transport/taxi.

It isn't always as simple as getting a cheaper car. I need a big car, a 7 seater.

I think the problem is that mileage rates haven’t increased for years but fuel and other costs have sky rocketed. I’m not sure they can force you to own and run a vehicle

You’re not using your own car then?

I get a car allowance of 6K a year and then a random rate of 25p a mile or something. Colleagues in ROI get a higher mileage rate instead of the allowance.

Car allowance is a life saver, pretty much doubles my take home now I’m on mat leave. Looking at what others get it seems pretty generous!

45/mile is that standard HMRC rate I believe. If you are using your personal car for work purposes you should also have business use on your car insurance.

The 45p rate is marginal for me when fuel, business insurance and wear and tear are taken into account.

The 45p rate is usually enough to cover the marginal cost of using your car. Especially if it is a reasonably cheap car. Obviously if you have to purchase a car or run a Bentley it is not going to be cost effective.

It does cover wear and tear but it's been the same rate for so long now it probably doesn't cut it. Used to be a steal years ago when I was getting 40p a mile and fuel was super low!

It's an inland revenue rule, not a company rule

I'm classed as a hybrid worker, but spend 80% of my working hours WFH. My base is 14 miles away. I always cycle commute when I go there. I have to go to alternative places (not my base, not home) several times a week to work. My employer will only pay me mileage on anything above home - base - home. It stinks! Hence I now refuse to use my car.

@perpetuallybusy Deducting your regular commute miles is normal. i've never worked anywhere that doesn't do this.

Mileage rates set by Inland Revenue do take into account additional costs, not just petrol.

My petrol averages about 14p a mile and I receive 45p. And I receive a car allowance (opted against a company car) and travel allowance. The travel allowance is intended to compensate for wear and tear.

This! I would look at getting a cheaper car as most cars cost significantly less that 45p a mile on fuel

I get 45p a mile which more than covers my costs. There is a pool car available but the time and hassle of driving to get it is not worth it.

I use my car for occasional business trips where there isn't a quick/convenient rail service to where I need to go. I find the 45p rate more than adequate because my car costs way less than 45p per mile in petrol so the remainder is a fair contribution from my employer to insurance, long term upkeep and eventual replacement of the vehicle.

I get 45p a mile. Doesn't cover my fuel really but I knew that when I accepted the job.

What on earth are you driving that has a fuel cost of more than 45p a mile??

Business insurance added for both of us was £1.50 for the year, hardly an expense

My car get 42 miles to the gallon, (2017 model, 2 litre engine so hardly an economical car) old car got 32 (2009) so cars have got more economical which very approximately matches the increase in fuel. I get 45p a mile. It costs me approximately 18p a mile in petrol so even if traffic is bad so I don't get normal fuel economy there's still plenty for west and tear.

My dp chooses to have a 3l gas guzzler, his choice, he knows he only get 45p a mile plus an annual car allowance, his choice of vehicle should not penalise the company ! Sometimes he takes mine so he paid for my new brakes

I just did a rac fuel calculator on my diesel car and it costs me 5p in fuel per mile - I think I would be OK with 45p a mile coveting fuel and wear and tear?

What @UsingChangeofName said. If you have a car anyway, unless it's very thirsty and/or expensive, eg a Range Rover, using your car for work is a good way to get a significant part of the fixed costs of running a car paid for by your employer because 45 p per mile pays for a lot more than the fuel used.

Eg I drive a 4 YO Citigo that I've had for a couple of years and will drive until it is not economical to keep going and it costs about 14 p a mile in petrol. Most of the time we use pool or hire cars, but if I'm not going very far, I can use my own car, so I do this for a few hundred miles a year as it's profitable to me to do that.

But I do think that the 45 ppm should increase as it's been that for a decade or two as far as I can remember.

Business insurance didn't cost me more either.

It didn’t cost any more when I put business on my insurance.

I get 45p a mile too, if I have to travel to our office it’s nearly 500 mile round trip. My diesel is usually around £60 - £70 so it seems fair enough to me to cover wear and tear.