To think cycling isn't free and job center should pay milliage

[feellikeahugefailure]

I have to sign on every week. Every other week they pay expenses. It's several busses to get there, so is 14.60 return.

They will pay this bus fare or pay 25p a mile but if you use your bike you get nothing.

When you are on such a limited income ware and tear on the bike does happen and is a big expense also the calories used are an expense. Even just something like 5p a mile should be possible imo.

I was going to use my bike on nice days and I would end up saving the country money and be fitter. But seeing as they pay for the bus fare I would never bike there. Its a reasonably long way and I would need alot of calories after doing the return journey.

I think asking them to pay for the extra snacks you need might be a bit silly, but I agree that cycling can incur costs in terms of wear and tear on the bike, for example puncture repair kits. Do some companies offer cycle mileage? I'm sure I read something once about an MP who cycled a lot and wanted to claim mileage.

Well its not so much snacks, just energy really. If I use the bike i do need more energy, i'm very slim and dont need to loose any fat reserves.

So should overweight people not get this calorie allowance?

If they wouldn't reimburse at all it would be massively unfair, but they will refund bus fare and mileage. If using your bike costs money, I would use the bus to sign on and leave riding my bike for when I was in paid employment and could afford the bike maintenance. I get that it would be nice to use it in good weather, but I work for the government and we don't get mileage for biking either, so I won't do it if I'm going to a course or meeting etc.

Oh crikey, slow typing and missed your last post.

You want the government to provide you with calories for signing on?!

Yabu.

Oh dear...

YABVU

I think I've heard it all now...

I don't think anywhere pays mileage for bikes - even companies. It'd be quite niche. It's more of a choice to use your commute as exercise too? It'd be like if you walked a few miles and then tried to claim for your shoes/snacks. I can see your point that it's costing you money, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect them to pay for that.

They'll expense the bus and presumably car mileage, because you have set absolute costs for those. If they paid for your bike, they'd essentially be giving you a bit extra for expenses that you might not incur.

Knowing the JCP, if you forced them, they'd give you an apple for a snack when you arrived.

You could also argue OP that walking would wear out your shoes quicker and also uses up more calories - but they're not going to pay a mileage allowance for walking either are they!

Are there jobs advertised where you sign on? The last time I had to was over 20 years ago, luckily, so forgive my ignorance but given all our local job centres have disappeared, I'm assuming they've joined the two services.

The majority of working people do not get travel expenses to get to work, it's a very rare thing, normally kept for those in very well paid work that can afford to get there without TE or those that travel for work, not to work. I'm a bit that they're paying any expenses at all to be honest but if that's how it is, then yes, wear and tear expenses should be paid for cycling as well.

Omg this is ridiculous.

Yabu

Ha ha good one!

I work for a university and they pay 20p a mile for cycling and 40p for driving.

I couldn't even get them to pay me petrol money!

Hahaha! Nice one OP

Here have some

All that typing must have worn you out and we cant have you wasting away...

It would be dreadful if they didn't pay your bus fare - isn't £14.60 about 20% of JSA?

Companies don't pay mileage for pedal bikes, but there are schemes to let you save for and buy a bike before tax if you are using it to commute.

worra 😂😂😂

Quite a few companies pay cycle mileage. Not for travel to work in the same way they don't pay your bus fare or petrol, but for travel in between sites and to meetings. My DP can claim 20p per mile if he cycles in between sites and that is to cover wear and tear etc. That's in the public sector.

There might be local schemes to support job seekers with travel. Near me there is an active travel scheme and as part of that you can claim a free bike or free bike maintenance classes to help you travel to the job centre and to interviews.

Travelling by bike is, as the OP correctly claims, not cost-free. However, when I used to commute by bike I was happy to suck up the expense because it was tiny in comparison to driving or using public transport. Overall, I was saving money. The OP is not in this position and would be out of pocket so her claim is legitimate - the problem, I think, is any amount would be likely very small. The argument about the extra calories consumed also holds water but, surely, the OP would only be entitled to the cheapest method of replacing them. Again, this might only amount to a few pennies.

Why don't you use your oyster card and surely the daily limit will be under that amount?

Some companies do pay a bike allowance for positions where a bike is suitable for business travel. There's even an official 20p/mile tax allowance for using your own bike for work.