Am I entitled to some milage costs even though I have a Fuel Card?

rizzee

Long story short, I received a Fuel Card several years ago, which included personal use, to use however I liked.

Before this, I was claiming mileage costs per km for each visit to customer sites.

Within the last 2 years, a new rule came in (basically due to "auditing requirements") to pay monthly BIK on the fuel costs. It was frustrating at the start, but I just agreed, as I was still getting ~50% off fuel.

I had a verbal agreement that on any "country" trips to client sites, I would be able to claim a full tank of fuel and would not be charged for any BIK on this on the next payslip. Apart from a couple of times HR "forgot" (and subsequently fixed on the following payslip), it has been fine and it is working out.

I do not get any mileage for local client trips; HR argues that I have a Fuel Card, and if I'm not happy with this, I can give it back & start claiming mileage again.

It benefits me to keep the card, especially as the fuel is taken out of my salary.

Is there anything I am entitled to for mileage on my vehicle for wear and tear despite having a fuel card? I didn't think a FC was a blocker for this.

CrazyEric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058336896/am-i-entitled-to-some-milage-costs-even-though-i-have-a-fuel-card

So you provide a vehicle yourself but they provide the fuel, you are charged 50% BIK on the fuel or you can claim mileage which say hypothetically is 40c/km. For a 200 KM journey you expense mileage of €80 or they pay you +/- €8 for fuel and you have to pay BIK?

I have to be doing the maths wrong somewhere. Why would you not claim mileage?

rizzee

I use the card for personal use too, so I pay BIK costs on around €150–250/month on fuel. Let's say €100 comes out of my salary for all my fuel use for the month. There could be some months where I don't have site visits, so mileage wouldn't be applicable, that's why it benefits me to have the card (as well as coming out of the salary instead of paying per fuel stop, which is a big plus). If it was a 200km journey, I could fill the car up (€100ish; so €50ish would come off my salary), and that will be struck off in the following month. It's fairly loose.

I'm checking can I claim mileage too, or something similar, as well as using the card at the same time, or is it a policy that it's one or the other?

witchgirl26

Usually it's one or the other unless the fuel card isn't working. In Ireland though there's no BIK on fuel cards. Now I think that is usually because they are connected to a company car (i.e. you're paying the BIK on the car so don't have to pay it on the fuel as a certain percentage of personal use is expected & calculated for).

I used to be on claiming mileage & even though it wasn't every month, it was enough that it would benefit me over all. I'd take a look at the miles you've done & what you would have gotten for them on the mileage claim versus the benefit you're getting from the fuel card.

Also BIK isn't a straight 50% so I'd really wonder where they're getting that from.

rizzee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121819052#Comment_121819052

Thanks for your message.

I'm paying BIK on the card itself, & it's showing "BIK Fuel" on my payslip. The car is my own personal vehicle. It's not exactly 50% - it's 45% or 55%, I do not know for sure, they never told me exactly.

It 100% benefits me by keeping the card vs claiming mileage.

chrisd2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121819279#Comment_121819279

How many miles a year are you doing for work. The fuel may be free with the card, but you seem not to be considering depreciation and wear and tear of the vehicle. I suggest you look at the revenue website for the standard milage rates.

I drive my own car for work and claim the revenue rates.

ted1

You are been rode. .

You need. fuel + insurance ( you need to upgrade to cover work driving ) + depreciation + maintenance + wear and tear.

BnB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121819279#Comment_121819279

The actual rate that you pay depends on the rate of tax etc you are on. Basically, if you use €400 of personal fuel in a month, then the BIK that you pay is the very same as the Tax that you would pay if you were paid €400 cash.

If you have done the maths and you are 100% sure that you are better off with the fuel card and the bit of free fuel (after BIK) than claiming expenses, then there isn't much else you can do.

It sounds at the minute like you have a fairly loose arrangement. You can either leave it as it is if you think you are doing ok or you can choose to formalise it : To formalise it, you have three options

1. Just go with straight milage - No fuel card - Nothing else - Just milage every month based on miles done that month. Most people tend to use the current civil service rate.
2. Work pays for all expenses for your own car. Fuel Card, price of extra insurance plus an agreed wear and tear rate. This is probably close to what you are doing now but the wear and tear rate and insurance are not formalised. If they were formalised, then they probably wouldn't be taxed. However, chances are, they would also be a lot less than they are now with the free fuel for personal use
3. Work leases a car, taxes, insures it, maintains it and gives you a fuel card for it for work use. You would pay BIK on this too

I've compared between 1 & 3 numerous times and 1 always wins out as the better option moneywise.

Option 2 can be messy and can depend a lot on the rates being paid.

rob316

Why aren't you getting subsistence payments for the mileage? Your been rode

JustAThought

Surely work can reclaim/write off the vat on petrol they buy - have you factored this into your thoughts? Having the card unlimited for your personal use sounds quite nice all the same. Are you declaring your car for insurance as being used for long distance trips for work -I wonder how much this is costing you?

now that type thread depth is being factored in for nct tests tyre useage and replacement would be worth considering negotiating in also.

blackbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950737#Comment_121950737

No.1 used to work for me when I had a fairly long commute and the car got a lot of use (other family members as well as myself), but it was only marginal.