Am I taking the piss?

[Sherpaio]

Am I taking the piss?

I sometimes work in London and stay over night. My firm pays for my hotel and I have a £50 allowance for an evening meal, which I claim through expenses using receipts.

I usually take the opportunity to eat somewhere a bit swanky and relatively expensive, as I’m down in London. Sometimes alone and sometimes with a friend if anyone is free (although we both pay individually for what we’ve had).

When I claim I put in receipt but only claim for the £50 allowed, and cover the rest myself. So if I spend £100 on my meal, I claim £50 and £50 comes out of my own pocket.

My expenses are always signed off by my boss and I’m entirely transparent.

I mentioned this to a colleague who was clearly unimpressed and thought it was taking advantage of the system. She took the view that the £50 cap meant you had to get something that costs £50 or under.

I don’t really see the difference. AIBU?

Not one bit. Your colleague needs to live a little

Your colleague is totally in the wrong about this. Why would you limit yourself? And why would your work even care if you spend the $50 and then add a bit more out of your own pocket.

Thanks! I thought I wasn’t - I think she just takes the view that I’m, in her view, having some kind of fancy evening out on the company. I’m not - I’m having an evening meal, and claiming what I can within the limits set by the expenses policy! I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t away for work.