To have claimed this as an expense?

[Wealthabd]

Something happened at work and I was very upset, manager told me to go home and would I like the company to book a taxi for me. It’s a long journey home and it could be anywhere from 1.5-2 hours drive and probably cost around £100.

I felt uncomfortable at the cost (even though the company were paying) and so I got the train, they know I’m struggling financially and the extra £20 I had to pay (my original ticket was for a set time) is actually a big cost to me. I’ve raised the ticket as an expense, fully open about what it was when raising it.

Now the company have acted like I’ve tried to steal from them. I really didn’t think I’d done anything wrong (ans it was 80% cheaper than the taxi) and I feel it could have been resolved with one conversation but they’ve now got senior management involved.

Pretty sure line manager approves expenses

You do know not every company does everything the same way right?

They offered a taxi you accepted it so then changed it, you didnt need to complicate it

They probably think if you didn’t need a taxi and managed your usual route home on a train then why should they be charged for your usual journey?

You haven't stolen from the company, you have claimed an expense which they can accept or reject, so in my opinion its not grounds for dismissal.
They offered to pay for a taxi and you felt more comfortable getting a train, but as it was outside your prepaid ticket, you had to pay again, and the fare was a lot less than the taxi offered. Instead of claiming the taxi, you have claimed a train fare that you incurred due to a work incident. I think once this is explained the expense should be accepted.
HOWEVER if you are working for a company where such bad things happen that you need to leave early, £20 is a lot of money for you to pay in advance, and you are then accused of trying to claim a false expense, I would seriously consider if this is the right company for you.

Its not the company per se who is doing this. It will be whichever system they use for expenses. Speak with your LM who offered the taxi home in the first place, ask if they can give you something in writing on email that you can attach to the expense and I think it will more than likely go through. One assumes the first kick-back came from the system operator but it will eventually have to go to your LM to be signed off or perhaps a delegate if they don't sign-off themselves. Systems that manage expenses have a strict crib sheet they are expected to follow and sometimes are unable to think out of the box. Often these systems are out sourced to other countries. It will be fine if you get the email authorisation and attach to the original expense.

The taxi was on their accord, and you decided to go home normally. Why don't you say to them that you had to pay extra due to their decisions which were to send you home. Explain it to them

Then you're a complete idiot. You should have taken the taxi.

Just tell them straight thst you have actually saved them £80 at your own inconvenience!

How petty and bureaucratic of them, turning a caring and helpful gesture into a stressful, accusatory situation.

"If"..... their behaviour stresses you out and upsets you enough that you need to go home again, make sure to take the taxi- any and everytime......

The HMRC class an expense as something used wholly and exclusively for work. Travelling to and from work to home is not classed as a work expense. The payroll department in your company should know this.
you did not try to steal the company should just say this is not a justifiable expense.

Sounds to me like the are trying to manage you out by reacting so seriously to an expense claim. It would only be fraudulent if you misrepresented it and they had already paid it. Without knowing why you were upset at work it’s hard to comment further but I would keep a record of everything and reiterate why you claimed for the train fare instead of taking them up on a taxi,

I don’t know why you didn’t just accept the taxi when they offered to pay for one for you instead of trying to save them money. You were ill enough for them to be worried about you getting home safely you saying no I’ll get the train instead probably made them think ok she’s fine to get home. They probably think you’re being really cheeky trying to charge them for your train ticket when you were offered a no cost to you way to get home.

I think there was a misunderstanding and offerring to call a cab did not mean the company would pay for it.