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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take my meal allowance home?

58 replies

bigfatsliceofcake · 24/11/2024 19:39

I have a job where I get one of the products we sell as a meal allowance for my break. It's portable food, so think sandwiches/wraps etc rather than stuff from a canteen.

The food isn't bad but it's quite calorific/unhealthy and I'm desperately trying to lose weight. I'm also vegetarian so the range I can have is quite limited and a bit repetitive and boring after a while.

Wibu and really cheeky to take my meal allowance home and bring in my own lunch? Dp works a job where he travels a lot and needs 'portable' food so it seems a shame that I would have to essentially waste my meal allowance when he could make use of it instead. Wouldn't be every day, just occasionally.

My theory is that if I'm allowed to eat X item, does it matter if I have it at work or at home? Would I get into trouble for this?

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 24/11/2024 20:31

@Gwenhwyfar I didn't know luncheon vouchers still existed. Is it on contactless card these days?

Foodie333 · 24/11/2024 20:28

Open item, pretend to eat some. Re-wrap and put in your lunchbox, for later.

Gwenhwyfar · 24/11/2024 20:19

Doggymummar · 24/11/2024 19:44

Yes and locker searches. Common in retail environments

Show quote history

Yes, but not usually for this purpose.
I get luncheon vouchers. I can spend them on any meal, even on alcohol, although the point is to spend them on lunch while at work.

potatocakesinprogress · 24/11/2024 20:16

Meta fired 30 people for doing this in the US recently. So definitely check with your company.

EmotionalSupportPotato · 24/11/2024 20:13

I would check with your boss. I understand your logic but the meal allowance is often meant to feed you on your break/after your shift not to feed someone else.

cindertoffeeapple · 24/11/2024 20:08

ElectronBlue22 · 24/11/2024 20:06

Tax adviser here.

Free food at work is tax-free for you if it’s a canteen, or food given to all staff instead of having an actual canteen if there isn’t one. But the HMRC rules for that is that it must be eaten at work as if you were in a canteen. Taking it home is against those rules and could mean (if found out) that the food becomes a taxable benefit in kind.

I’m not saying you can never take it home as a one-off. But that’s not what it’s supposed to be for routinely. Your HR may not even really understand why they have that policy (their tax department will have told them once) but if they say you can’t take it home it’s not because they’re being mean, it’s because you could jeopardise the tax-free perk for everyone.

And this right here is why you shouldn’t listen to all the people blithely telling you will be fine based on absolutely no facts.

Catza · 24/11/2024 20:08

Is it Pret? If so, you are not allowed the take your lunch home according to the policy. But nobody checks.

Photodilemmas · 24/11/2024 20:07

bigfatsliceofcake · 24/11/2024 19:52

@Photodilemmas agreed. I have worked in places like that before, and in places where the upper management would watch you on the CCTV. Big reason for me leaving tbh.

Yeah I think that's awful. I would never work anywhere like that and I've worked in retail years ago. They should trust their staff.

DreamW3aver · 24/11/2024 20:06

Spagettifunctional · 24/11/2024 19:52

You would be absolutely fine to do this op

How lucky that someone from the OPs HR department has seen this thread 😂

While it might be OK no one here can possibly know, the sensible thing to do is ask.
Eta that the poster above was typing at the same time as me, I now see it's against hmrc rules

ElectronBlue22 · 24/11/2024 20:06

Tax adviser here.

Free food at work is tax-free for you if it’s a canteen, or food given to all staff instead of having an actual canteen if there isn’t one. But the HMRC rules for that is that it must be eaten at work as if you were in a canteen. Taking it home is against those rules and could mean (if found out) that the food becomes a taxable benefit in kind.

I’m not saying you can never take it home as a one-off. But that’s not what it’s supposed to be for routinely. Your HR may not even really understand why they have that policy (their tax department will have told them once) but if they say you can’t take it home it’s not because they’re being mean, it’s because you could jeopardise the tax-free perk for everyone.

GiveItAGoMalcom · 24/11/2024 20:04

Would I get into trouble for this?

Of all the questions to ask MUMSNET 🤦‍♀️

Why aren't you asking your manager?

Northernlassie123 · 24/11/2024 20:04

I’d just ask , just maybe don’t say its for DH .

TPJB · 24/11/2024 20:01

Eat half and take the other half home. Half the calories.

UltramarineViolet · 24/11/2024 20:00

@Spagettifunctional how can you possibly know that?

I would assume the opposite unless you have been expressly told it is ok to take free food items home rather than consuming them while at work

Tia86 · 24/11/2024 19:59

Definitely ask as while you are entitled to the food this is likely to mean to eat at work on your shift. I imagine it's kind of a perk of the job getting a free lunch. It might be that your boss says it's absolutely fine, but I would be hesitant to just start taking the food home.

Nc546888 · 24/11/2024 19:58

I would just ask my boss. Better safe than sorry

MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 24/11/2024 19:57

Is it Greggs? If I brought DH Greggs home every day he'd marry me again

Original poster
bigfatsliceofcake · 24/11/2024 19:55

purplecorkheart · 24/11/2024 19:50

Check the exact rules about taking food provided home and get HR to clarify if it is anyway unclear.

If the item provided by work is not something you would eat, I would just not take it.

Oh it absolutely is something I would eat, I'm just really trying to cut back and make healthier choices as I've put on a lot of weight recently and I think it's partially down to the food I'm eating at work.

OP posts:
Original poster
bigfatsliceofcake · 24/11/2024 19:52

@Photodilemmas agreed. I have worked in places like that before, and in places where the upper management would watch you on the CCTV. Big reason for me leaving tbh.

OP posts:
Spagettifunctional · 24/11/2024 19:52

You would be absolutely fine to do this op

purplecorkheart · 24/11/2024 19:50

Check the exact rules about taking food provided home and get HR to clarify if it is anyway unclear.

If the item provided by work is not something you would eat, I would just not take it.

Littletreefrog · 24/11/2024 19:50

bigfatsliceofcake · 24/11/2024 19:49

I have checked my handbook but it doesn't mention anything that specifies it needs to be eaten on site.

We have break room and since we're a small team we only take breaks one at a time so no one would know unless I announced it 😂

Fortunately no bag or locker checks! The company is very relaxed about most things. We are allowed unlimited hot drinks too it's only cold drinks (bottled) that are restricted to 1 per day.

I would still mention it to your Boss just in case but seems like it would be fine.

Original poster
bigfatsliceofcake · 24/11/2024 19:49

I have checked my handbook but it doesn't mention anything that specifies it needs to be eaten on site.

We have break room and since we're a small team we only take breaks one at a time so no one would know unless I announced it 😂

Fortunately no bag or locker checks! The company is very relaxed about most things. We are allowed unlimited hot drinks too it's only cold drinks (bottled) that are restricted to 1 per day.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 24/11/2024 19:47

@Photodilemmas yes bag checks are perfectly normal in retail jobs.