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Original poster

Employer refusing to honour company benefit

57 replies

Memo88 · 12/12/2025 22:56

A HR question really, but would love people’s thoughts!

I am leaving my current company at Christmas, with my last day being the 31st December, I begin my new job on the 5th January. In my role I need to hold a professional subscription which renews on the 31s December (I have to pay on the 31st or before). As part of my company benefits, they pay for my professional subscription, which is £225 this year.

I paid this a few days ago and submitted it as part of my expenses, however I received an email today from the person responsible for approving expenses that this would not be paid as I’ll not be an employee next year. If it’s relevant the person is the owner’s wife, she copied in the owner, the MD and accounts but not HR. Also for background the company turned over in excess of £100m last year.

My understanding is that my benefits continue until I leave and as this payment is due before then, I should be entitled to claim?

I’m really interested to hear what others would do - leave it and accept that I’ll be paying the £225, or fight back?

OP posts:
cotswoldsgal1234 · 13/12/2025 03:53

I would never have done that. That’s not form - I wouldn’t have paid for it either, if I was your employer.

Booboobagins · 13/12/2025 04:36

If your new employee won't pick thus up, then make sure you tell HMRC about the cost as they will make it an allowable expense in your tax calculation.

bizzywizzy · 13/12/2025 04:54

But its not a company benefit for you. Its a fee they pay to enable you to do your job for them. The period covered by the subscription, will be to enable you to do your job for someone else. Its not the date of payment, its the period it covers that counts. I process expenses as part of my job and would have refused it too. You're just annoyed that some one did their job properly and checked the dates on the bill.

Horrorscope · 13/12/2025 05:07

LarryMiddleman · 12/12/2025 23:21

Sorry OP but it's pretty obvious that they shouldn't pay this. If I were your boss I would've considered your expense application an absolute piss take, to be honest.

Edited

^This.

I’m not sure why you think they should pay it, OP.

Whatsthatsheila · 13/12/2025 05:14

Memo88 · 12/12/2025 23:06

To clarify, my contract (and leavers letter) states that all benefits continue until I leave the company, including during my three month notice period.

It is a subscription for next year, that’s true, but when I joined part way through the year, they effectively benefitted from my existing subscription.

sorry but seeing as the nhs doesn’t pay for professional body registration fees (Jesus they’d be bankrupt a million times over) I am gonna say I have no sympathy.

you could ask your new employer if they will pay the fee seeing as it’s for 2026

this sounds like a non contractual benefit too so … yeah would be surprised if you got anywhere

Yamamm · 13/12/2025 05:17

They have covered your benefit for 2025. I agree with them.

IceIceSlippyIce · 13/12/2025 06:46

Pay it now, and ask your new company next year if they will cover it.

FWIW we have a clawback policy for this - if you handed in your notice half way through a membership period, work would reclaim half the subscription cost for the months they don't benifit.

I think it was pretty cheeky to ask to expense it when work won't benifit at all, and CF territory to push back after their reasonable response.

WhereAreWeNow · 13/12/2025 06:58

If the professional membership is for the year ahead and you'll be working for a new employer, I can't see why you would ask your current employer to reimburse you. I would have rejected the claim if it was sent to me for authorisation.

SD1978 · 13/12/2025 07:14

Your last working day with them, is in 2025. You will not be employed by the company at all in 2026, and start a new role in 2026. Maybe you should have had this cost written into your contract with the new role, as I wouldn’t authorise a professional membership cost when you wouldn’t be using it at all in the current company

Elektra1 · 13/12/2025 07:17

If you are required to hold this membership for your job, this is a non-issue because your new employer will pay it for you. I am a solicitor, so have to have a practising certificate. When I’ve changed job around the time of certificate renewal, the new firm pays for it if the old firm doesn’t want to. Just email your new employer saying your current employer won’t renew for 2026 as you won’t be there any more in 2026, and ask new employer to confirm they will renew your membership (or reimburse you if you do so).

Littletreefrog · 13/12/2025 07:20

You may be technically correct but it seems perfectly reasonable that they aren't paying it and do you really want to fall out with them over it?

Bjorkdidit · 13/12/2025 07:24

This might be one you have to suck up.

Your current employer is reasonable not to pay it because they won't get the benefit of it.

You might feel awkward asking your new employer to pay it if you feel it doesn't make a good first impression, despite being a reasonable request.

Therefore as a one off, pay it yourself and claim the tax relief to reduce the cost. Presumably you're being paid more or there are other benefits to the new job, so you'll still be better off overall?

MrsZiggywinkle · 13/12/2025 07:24

Deary me, you’re very cheeky asking them to pay it when the new company will benefit. I’m surprised you even need to ask this.

rafeal · 13/12/2025 07:33

I used to work for a company with paid for gym membership and parking. All renewals ceased once you handed in your notice.

Frogbear · 13/12/2025 07:33

They cover your professional membership. They have covered the cost of your professional membership for the period you will have worked for them. Just because you incurred the expense now, it’s not a company expense as they have no use of your membership from 1 January.

Really can’t believe you submitted the expense and you’re now trying to portray the company as being unreasonable. That’s CF territory tbh.

Destiny123 · 13/12/2025 07:34

I agree with them tbh. Ask your new employer to pay or just pay yourself and claim the tax back (wish the nhs covered my £900+ mandatory body subscriptions!)

NotForTheMoneyandNotForTheApplause · 13/12/2025 07:40

It's clearly not a subscription to the Institute of Common Sense and I find it hard to believe that anyone even needs to ask this question

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 13/12/2025 07:41

What period is the subscription for? If it is for the period 1st January 2026 until 31st December 2026 then they should not pay it.

If the subscription starts on 31st December I suppose they could pay for 1/365 of £225, for the day you are still in their employment - so that would be 62p.

NetZeroZealot · 13/12/2025 07:45

Just claim it as an expense from your new employer

Original poster
Memo88 · 13/12/2025 07:45

Fair enough, I appreciate you all taking the time to post!

OP posts:
Phonicshaskilledmeoff · 13/12/2025 07:46

Memo88 · 12/12/2025 22:56

A HR question really, but would love people’s thoughts!

I am leaving my current company at Christmas, with my last day being the 31st December, I begin my new job on the 5th January. In my role I need to hold a professional subscription which renews on the 31s December (I have to pay on the 31st or before). As part of my company benefits, they pay for my professional subscription, which is £225 this year.

I paid this a few days ago and submitted it as part of my expenses, however I received an email today from the person responsible for approving expenses that this would not be paid as I’ll not be an employee next year. If it’s relevant the person is the owner’s wife, she copied in the owner, the MD and accounts but not HR. Also for background the company turned over in excess of £100m last year.

My understanding is that my benefits continue until I leave and as this payment is due before then, I should be entitled to claim?

I’m really interested to hear what others would do - leave it and accept that I’ll be paying the £225, or fight back?

I had this exact problem - twice! The first time I asked my new employer to pay and they did. The second time in just let it go (largely because I was so late in paying it!)

FortunesFool · 13/12/2025 07:52

If I claimed, I would expect to have to pay back 364/365 days worth of my subscription. So, is it worth all the faff for 61p OP?

clodhopperz · 13/12/2025 07:54

LarryMiddleman · 12/12/2025 23:21

Sorry OP but it's pretty obvious that they shouldn't pay this. If I were your boss I would've considered your expense application an absolute piss take, to be honest.

Edited

Absolutely this. If this was submitted to me I would think it was massively taking the piss. It’s for 2026 subscription and you won’t be working for them, so why should they pay it? It’s entitled I think.

HelpMySocksAreTouchingMe · 13/12/2025 08:43

I think it was quite cheeky to even attempt to get them to pay it.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 13/12/2025 09:00

Agree with others, it’s not really a benefit, more covering a cost you incur to do your job. You won’t be working for them, so there’s no reason for them to pay it. I would probably pay it as a goodwill gesture for someone in a redundancy situation though.