Employer refusing to honour company benefit

[Memo88]

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?

This is so so cheeky OP!!!

No, its completely up to your new employer to pay for it.

Same with GTCS annual fee (teacher in Scotland) but the fee is a good bit smaller. The nursing fee is scandalous.

I’m sort of in this position. I’ve just put an expense claim in for my 2026 fee, but I’ve just agreed a late April start date with a new employer and intend to hand my notice in on Monday. I don’t feel good about it, but have only been working for the company since January and my 2025 fee was covered by my previous employer. I’ll still be working for them for 4 months in 2026 so I think they should pay. That said, if they refuse next week then I’ll ask my new employer or suck it up I guess.

If, when you joined, they benefited from your existing subscription, then you could argue for them to pay prorata for the amount of free subscription they had received. I can't see them paying a penny of 2026 because you won't be working for them.

I suggest ask your new employer as they're the ones who will benefit.

You're being ridiculous, OP. Why would they pay for your next year's subscription?

At the very most, if the new subscription starts on December 31st, you might have an argument to claim for 1/365 of the cost. Good luck with that.

It’s for 2026. You are leaving in 2025 so pretty cheeky to even try

The idea that this is somehow a “right” is what’s surprising. It isn’t. It’s discretionary, and discretion cuts both ways. The fact the company is large or profitable is irrelevant, businesses don’t owe departing employees generosity simply because they can afford it.

If you’re leaving anyway, accept it, pay the £225 yourself, and move on. Pushing back over this just comes across as entitlement, not principle.