MPs and expenses claims.

paddyann54

Different for a business MP's are PAID by the taxpayer.Thatsthe same taxpayer who is struggling wth a cost of living crisis and who probably didn't get a 2k pay rise last year .

Why is it different for a business, paddyann??

Staff parties aren't obligatory or necessary. I realise their contribution to keeping staff happy, and everyone loves a freebie party, but why it should be classed as a business expense is beyond my understanding.

Perhaps all state funded services should have an extra bit in their budgets to pay for staff Christmas parties. Might make people happier about working for the state in quite dire conditions, low pay, over work, fresh expectations piled on them with no funding to match...

MaizieD

I appreciate it's a 'goodwill' gesture, GG13, same as those 'gifts', and I don't blame you for taking advantage of the tax laws, but I just find the fact that it got through Parliament at some time really surprising.

Adam Smith on legislation, (though I doubt that he had making staff entertaining tax deuctible in mind) :

...Smith is adamant that law and policy should never be entrusted to those who live by profit.
The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention. It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the publick, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the publick, and who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it.”

Very easy to quote folks MaizieD

Running (if somewhat from a distance since Covid) and owning a SME for over forty years excuse me if I find your attitude somewhat patronising and dare I say naive to the day to day, week to week, month to month and year to year trials, tribulations and running costs (of all kinds) of a business.

As a teacher in a state school, I paid for any Christmas parties I attended, or any other celebrations such as someone’s leaving party. I also paid for my own coffee, tea, milk etc. and I paid for a dinner if I wanted one. I didn’t want one though. I received Christmas and end of year presents, but as it was a poor area they were usually small boxes of chocolates or a bunch of flowers. They were gratefully received as I knew our families were not well off. I appreciated their thoughtfulness.
My husband worked as a teacher at an independent school which took mainly day pupils and a few boarders. All tea, coffee, biscuits etc were provided free of charge and were available in the staff room along with a selection of the day’s newspapers for the staff to read. Hot meals were available free of charge at lunch time, and later in the day. He received some lovely presents from grateful parents, particularly when their child was awarded an A* GCSE or an A at A level. He was a good teacher and high grades were often achieved by his pupils. Presents included things such a leather briefcase, a watch, and lovely pens. Other items too.

The difference is They are using taxpayers money to fund their parties and charge their cars.

or fuel costs for BOTH their homes!!

Different for a business MP's are PAID by the taxpayer.Thatsthe same taxpayer who is struggling wth a cost of living crisis and who probably didn't get a 2k pay rise last year .

I appreciate it's a 'goodwill' gesture, GG13, same as those 'gifts', and I don't blame you for taking advantage of the tax laws, but I just find the fact that it got through Parliament at some time really surprising.

Adam Smith on legislation, (though I doubt that he had making staff entertaining tax deuctible in mind) :

...Smith is adamant that law and policy should never be entrusted to those who live by profit.
The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention. It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the publick, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the publick, and who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it.”

We also claimed for the staffs annual Christmas do GrannyGravy. It was paid for by the business so went on the books as a business expense.

Getting back to staff entertaining there is a limit of £150 per staff member per year.

Maybe instead of being incredulous at my honesty blame successive Governments they make the laws, we just adhere to them.

MaizieD

^No that is not what I am saying MaizieD^

You said that you can claim for taking your staff out for a Christmas meal. Mind you, you didn't say that you actually do claim. So perhaps I'm being overly judgemental. But the whole concept of staff parties being a tax deductible event is just extraordinary. As is claiming for 'gifts' to customers.

Alcohol, food or tobacco products are not allowed by HMRC as deductibles

Gifts up to £50 which contain your Company Logo are deductible. These could be pens, notepads, mugs etc. We have distributed Desk Diaries for over 30 years.

No that is not what I am saying MaizieD

You said that you can claim for taking your staff out for a Christmas meal. Mind you, you didn't say that you actually do claim. So perhaps I'm being overly judgemental. But the whole concept of staff parties being a tax deductible event is just extraordinary. As is claiming for 'gifts' to customers.

MaizieD

And to think that I thought that employers gave staff a Christmas 'do' out of the goodness of their hearts... Silly me.

Absolutely it’s a goodwill gesture.

Until such time the tax laws change businesses are able to offset the cost up to a limit per head in their accounts.

And to think that I thought that employers gave staff a Christmas 'do' out of the goodness of their hearts... Silly me.

No that is not what I am saying MaizieD

If one of the members of staff who have an EV need to charge it on arrival at work they do, at no cost to themselves.

I think growstuff was implying that the staff member should declare this as an in work benefit it has no tax advantages to the business whatsoever, just a bigger energy bill.

GrannyGravy13

growstuff we claim for taking staff out for a Christmas Meal have done for over 40 years. Likewise any gifts given to customers thus time of year.

So far haven’t put benefit status on EV charging.

Are you saying that you can claim that against tax?

That's a racket that needs to be stopped, then...

GrannyGravy13

growstuff we claim for taking staff out for a Christmas Meal have done for over 40 years. Likewise any gifts given to customers thus time of year.

So far haven’t put benefit status on EV charging.

But isn't it a benefit in lieu of salary?

Tax rules for entertaining staff:

www.pattersonhallaccountants.co.uk/tax-on-the-staff-christmas-party/

PS. As a teacher, we had to pay for own Christmas party :-( and there was a limit to any gifts we received from parents.

I read the story on the Sky News site and it quoted MPs who said that they didn't want to claim for their staff Christmas celebrations and they couldn't understand why IPSA were proposing it.

I can't understand it either. Christmas parties aren't necessary for their work and it'snot beyond the wit of the MPs or their staff to organise and fund their own celebrations if they feel the need to have them. I presume that's what they've always done in the past.

growstuff we claim for taking staff out for a Christmas Meal have done for over 40 years. Likewise any gifts given to customers thus time of year.

So far haven’t put benefit status on EV charging.

GrannyGravy13

Barmeyoldbat

Disgraceful, they can also charge up their electric cars for free at Westminster and did you know that more is spent on stocking up the wine cellar than the universal credit bill. Self serving bunch of …….

Our staff can charge their electric cars for free along with their devices

Do they have to declare that as a benefit?

GG13 Do you mean the office party or sending gifts to clients? If the latter, I guess it's a justifiable marketing expense.

MPs aren't trying to market anything.

I thought I just heard on the news that they can’t claim for alcohol for their parties. Did I imagine it??

Barmeyoldbat

Disgraceful, they can also charge up their electric cars for free at Westminster and did you know that more is spent on stocking up the wine cellar than the universal credit bill. Self serving bunch of …….

Our staff can charge their electric cars for free along with their devices

Playing devils advocate businesses can claim for Christmas entertaining in their accounts.

MP’s run their offices like businesses …

However, in the present circumstances it is not a good look

Disgraceful, they can also charge up their electric cars for free at Westminster and did you know that more is spent on stocking up the wine cellar than the universal credit bill. Self serving bunch of …….