Travel expenses - home based

[Milliemoos5]

I’ve just accepted an offer on a new job. All very exciting !

i will be account managing multiple clients. My monthly train to London is around £600 so it’s a bit of a bummer to have that expense. I also have a smaller number of clients in the midlands.

However, I’ve received the contract and it states my location is ‘home based’.

i would therefore assume that the company would/should pay for my travel to the client sites? I know I know I know that I can ask them myself but I went through a tough salary negotiation with them this week so I don’t want to, right now, lump them with this question before I’ve started. I was assuming beforehand that I’d have the travel costs anyway so it’s not the end of the world. But this has intrigued me as I wasn’t expecting the contract to be home based (which is fab in many ways!)

so my question is whether the company is obliged to pay for travel considering my contract is home based or whether you think it’s all dependant on their T&E policy ?

I don’t think they are obliged. It will depend on your contract.

It will depend on their T&C and your contract. Check it very carefully as travel into London can be monstrous. My friend has had to change cities for her job as she literally was taking home less than half of her actual salary.

And Congratulations!

Does your contract state anything about expenses related to the job? I think mine has something about expenses but it refers to the company policies - if your contract isn't explicit, you could ask for a copy of the time & expenses policy?

I would assume that too. Unless you have a head office in London and that’s your base, any other travel should usually be refunded. Can you ask for their policies which should include expense and travel policies?

Yes I think you’re right… I’d assumed my contracted base location would be London, hence why I factored in paying for the train to London monthly, but now I’ve seen it says ‘home based’, it made me think

Sorry I should have been clearer.. at the moment I’ve only got the offer letter. T&C’s/full contract will arrive early next week. (That’s why I can’t check the expenses section of the contract yet)

Yes that’s my thinking too - they don’t have an office in London.

as you say, it ‘usually’ would be refunded (any other company I’ve worked for, any Travel outside of the office location is reimbursed).

@Midnlghtrain good idea; once I have the contract next week I’ll ask for the T&E policy. Thank you

I have a home based contract. This means I can expense any travel to anywhere from my front door. Including to our office.
But I only go there about once every two months.
All travel to clients, petrol to station, parking, train fares, taxis, and any food or drink I buy when out I expense.

Same here. I don’t have an office in London so when I travel to London (or any other location for work) all my travel expenses are refunded (inc parking, train ticket, coffee etc) In your case I would assume this too but check your policies.

Remember OP that travel expenses and the ability to claim T&S is a UK Gov HMRC regulation.

if you're home based, the basis on which you can claim T&S is different to being office-based. You can't claim for the journey classed as your commute, as stated by HMRC but you can claim for your journey from your home (as a home worker) to a client meeting, as a business expense

if your new employer doesn't confirm that you can claim legitimate expenses carried out solely in the interests of your business role activities, I would question whether your new role will be sustainable. Can you imagine them telling you that you have to pay your travel to all your clients, that could use up a significant chunk of your nett pay.

dont leave it until you start, ask them before you accept the job.

The other factor playing into this is the fact that your employer benefits from you being a home worker if by so being, it means they don't have to provide an office space for you and you have to pay the "running expenses" of light, heating, water, desk and computer access etc by using your home as your office.

They will be billing the client for travel expenses, I imagine, too!

I'd ask for clarification now.

I agree. You simply need to ask, this is not the time to make a best guess based on responses.