.svg)
TED Web Chat
.svg)
TED Web Chat
Talk to TED
The following policy and guidelines explain:
1.1 This policy covers all staff and casual workers employed by Tendring District Council.
1.2 Subsistence payments are not an allowance but a reimbursement of expenses within a set ceiling. The claimant should not profit or lose money because they are undertaking official duties for the Council, outside of the district.
2.1 A subsistence payment is payable if the employee necessarily incurred costs over and above what they would have paid for a meal in the normal course of their duties.
2.2. The amount of subsistence paid, is the expenditure incurred when undertaking work for the Council. Only food/drink bought on the day of a non-standard working period qualifies for a subsistence payment. (See paras 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1 when items can be claimed).
2.3 The Council will only reimburse for items which are reasonable and receipts proving purchase must be provided.
2.4 Work placements, such as school or not-for-profit organisation placements, may claim subsistence. However, there is no corporate budget for this and any amounts paid must be in accordance with this policy and made from the employing Departmental budget.
2.5 Employees should use the Subsistence Claim form which can be found on the Council’s intranet site.
3.1 Employees can claim for breakfast only in the event of an emergency planning incident or where an overnight stay is required and breakfast is not included as part of the conference, training, exhibition event etc, or as part of the accommodation package.
3.2 Expenditure claimed must have prior approval of the line manager and submission of receipts.
3.3 Payments will be in accordance with paragraph 7.
4.1 Lunch will be reimbursed only in exceptional circumstances. Employees can claim for lunch when they are away from their workplace for a whole day, out of the Tendring District i.e. only for attendance at an external conference, external training course or external meeting etc where lunch is not provided as part of the event and is in a place/venue where the food is more expensive e.g. London. Employees cannot claim lunch if they are working in and around the district.
4.2 Any expenditure claimed must have the approval of the line manager and receipts must be provided as proof of purchase.
4.3 The amounts payable are detailed in paragraph 7.
5.1 Employees can claim for an evening meal where an overnight stay is required and an evening meal is not included as part of the conference, training, exhibition etc, or as part of the accommodation package.
5.2 The cost of any alcohol taken with meals cannot be claimed.
5.3 All expenditure must be reasonable and must have prior agreement from the line manager.
5.4 Receipts must be provided before a claim is reimbursed.
5.5 The amounts payable are detailed in paragraph 7.
6.1 Authorising Managers are responsible for ensuring that all claims are correctly authorised in accordance with this procedure. Additionally, it is the authorising manager’s responsibility to ensure authorised, receipted claims are, where appropriate, passed to Payroll promptly. There may be some occasions when small amounts of reimbursement are paid from petty cash.
6.2 All Council employees are responsible for familiarising themselves with and ensuring that they comply with this policy.
7.1 The Council will reimburse expenditure up to the following maximum limits; Subsistence Maximum Payment Breakfast Up to £6.88* Lunch Up to £9.50 Tea Up to £3.76 Evening Meal Up to £11.77* Any amounts above the HMRC Benchmark Rates of Pay for Subsistence will be subject to deductions.
7.2 Receipts must be provided before a claim is reimbursed.
8.1 Subsistence should be claimed on the Subsistence Claim form which can be found on the intranet. The employee must state the reason for claiming which should include the address of the venue visited, (i.e. the conference, exhibition or training course), if applicable.
9.1 There are no set allowances and managers are able to approve “reasonable expenses”. Employees should discuss with their manager the costs of accommodation, meals, together with any other out-of-pocket expenses before any bookings are made.
9.2 The appropriate manager must approve the expenditure before booking and receipts must be provided.
10.1 Car parking fees should be claimed on the Subsistence Claim form which is available on the intranet.
10.2 The car park ticket or receipt must be provided before payment is paid.
10.3 If a journey includes a toll payment e.g. Dartford Crossing then this expenditure will be reimbursed and should be claimed on the subsistence claim form. Reimbursement for this payment can be claimed without a receipt (receipts are not issued at the Dartford Crossing)