To think my work can’t do this! NO HR

[Butterwine]

So I work in an outreach position and travel across local communities, usually within a 100 mile radius so relatively far. I’ve always used my own car and expensed mileage but now at 45p a mile and petrol in my area at 1:90 as of yesterday I’m really struggling to make even, and find it doesn’t even cover wear and tear. The car is my own. I’ve worked for the company for 2 years.

Anyways, colleague doesn’t drive but does the same job, same pay, same position. She is learning but work pay for all her trains, taxi’s and public transport to visit placements. All paid ahead of time. I decided to ask for this as well, as using my car is just not economical anymore for me and was told a simple, no, you have a car and you must use it.

I was told if I didn’t use it then I’d be missing work and would probably end up with disciplinary etc.

for reference colleague is actually a good friend, no disabilities, no reason behind anything.

AIBU to think they can’t do for one and not the other?

@Butterwine

my head is full of fog, but, I do 300 miles a week for work (occasionally more, but most of the time 60 per day x5). At .45 I'd get £135 pw. I currently pay £80 for a full tank (about 45 litres) and it's takes a little less than a tank for a week.

so I'd be thrilled with £135pw. It would still cover a fair bit of wear & tear.

sadly I don't get paid mileage.

(long story & it won't change now).

but I think you're being unreasonable wanting to do the same as the other woman if it's going to make you less able to see as many people etc.

As an aside. There is a not very nice part of me that gleefully reminds myself that people who drive like twats are at least paying more for it at the moment.

Then I remember the environment.

Employers do not have to offer the same terms to everyone , although discrimination because of a protected characteristic is illegal. You can make a request but if it is turned down then the only thing you can really do is change job. 45p a mile is not an unreasonable mileage rate despite higher fuel costs and you would struggle to find an employer that will pay more

If your work don't pay mileage you can claim tax relief from Hmrc at the approved rates. You won't get the 45/25p per mile but you will get tax relief on it. Better than nothing. Can get it put in your paye code

You may not be able to claim the mileage from work (which you should!), but if they don't pay you can claim the tax effect of it. Take a look here - HMRC

Great minds think alike! 😁

They pay for both of your transport costs. Yours: via fuel and wear and tear, and hers through public transport.

I think you have an obligation to minimise your expenses - which means taking the least cost transport option available to you. Since you can drive and your colleague can't, the least cost option will be different for the two of you. Your employer is only following the tax law.

You don't only have to consider the cost of travel, but also the time and comfort of the traveller.

If there was some sort of tax law mandated requirement to minimise travel costs, business class flights and first class carriages on trains wouldn't exist.

From previous experience and it going through ACAS an employer cannot force you to use your car for work unless it is either a company car, or you receive a car allowance. If you receive neither of these things find the info online so that you are already fore armed and then tell them you will no longer be using your vehicle and they should find you the same as your colleague.
If they then make the veiled threats that you are effectively AWOL you can then provide them with the legal standpoint and raise a grievance.

What's in your contract? If your contract requires Own Transport, then yes they can probably do this. Your colleague may not be on the same contract. Regardless, she'll be spending more time on public transport than you are in your car, and she'll be getting fares at cost.

I assume you're honest enough to deduct an allowance for dual-use trips when you do the shopping on the way back?

I was going to mention that. I was getting 45ppm when I started with my current employer in 2007, and I'm sure it was the maximum then. It's high time HMRC raised the threshold.

The revenue from fuel duties must be going up too, if they're based on a percentage of the price. It's virtually doubled since the days of lockdown when, for a few weeks, it was less than £1 per litre. The govt could lower the percentage and still get as much money.

Some colleagues of mine do almost 1,000 business miles a month, they must really notice a big difference.

Even allowing for costs, you're more than likely to be up at 45p per mile as the vast majority of the running costs relate to personal usage.

I'm surprised your employer isn't making you use public transport where it's cost effective to do so (either £ for the journey or additional wage costs if paid hourly/flexible working).

Personally, I wouldn't be in such a rush to push for them to move you to 100% public transport as it sounds good on paper but it massively depends on where you are going. Public transport can be godawful especially in the last mile. Do you want to be carrying work kit on buses in all of the areas you go to? Or take taxis to really remote places or want the risk of them not showing up? Do you feel ok walking through all of the city/town centres you go to? And so on.

Will your colleague be expected to use her own car after she passes? For jobs like that, you are usually required to have your own transport, either from the start or by a certain time.

@Butterwine
Mist policies state that the transport method used has to be the cheapest.
That could be cheapest financially or in travel time.
The arrangements between your colleague is her business and is irrelevant to your situation. You cannot meet your contractual obligations without using a car.
You're not in defecit as a result of using your car, you're just not benefitting as much as would have been historically.

45p is generous and you will have been making money on that for some time.

Now it will still easily cover the cost but maybe not make you any profit.

I understand where you are coming from. Same happened to me and I had got used to the extra money.

I am the same as you 45p per mile and as you say about breaking even. Senior members of our team who don't do as much community work as the rest of us have had their millage increased to 65p. We all work for the NHS. Our increase has been denied.

You're driving it badly then or it's broken somewhere.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/mazda/3-2014/15

Even the 1.5 should be getting more than that. And those are the old versions, the newer versions are better obviously. Maybe take it to a garage to get it checked since it's not doing what it should be. What version do you have and how old is it?

I get why you're annoyed op, but unless you actually sell your car then you won't be getting what the other person gets probably. And you are still getting it covered unless you drive a Ferrari so not much to complain about.

I get 45p a mile and I think it costs me just over half that (standard petrol 2l engine, 5 years old)

@InChocolateWeTrust

I average 42 miles to the gallon on short runs and better on the open road, over 50. But I don't live in the city, however there's far too many windy lanes

@PurassicJark

I have a Mazda 3 and get far more to the gallon. I rarely do city driving though. I have a 2l engine

I get more than what she gets in my old car, it's not a Mazda, it's a golf, but I'd imagine it's probably older than hers and it's not got a very economical engine. But I'll still get more than that even on windy roads. Think something is broken in it, I had a car years ago that got like 20mpg but it had a massive fault, cannot remember what though unfortunately.