quick surveyIf you get a car allowance, how much do you get and who do you work for and when did it last go upme - EDS, 540 per month, frozen for about 7 yrs

me, 45p per mile. Frozen since when petrol cost 75p a litre.

Incidentally, I'm just WAITING for my boss or somebody to comment on the image I give when I turn up in a 1995 Mark II Mondeo. I'll tell them exactly why - BECAUSE YOU DON'T GIVE ME A CAR ALLOWANCE AND IT'S ALL I CAN AFFORD.

I said car allowance not mileage expenses, i.e. allowance instead of company car

OK, it's Zero.

Not car allowance I know, but I’ve just got an email through saying mileage rates from July 2008 will be 12p per mile!We don’t travel all that often, but that doesn’t seem like it will even cover the cost of the petrol.

Surely that 12p only applies to people who have a car allowance too?

It appears not.

Well that's preposterous, it costs about 20p a mile just in petrol for some cars, and that's not even taking into account depreciation and general wear and tear.

Assuming my paste from the email works ok, here’s all the prices:If anyone is using their own vehicle for business use, please note the following changes to rates. Please pass on to your teams where appropriate.Mileage ratesWith effect from 1 July 2008:Petrol Up to 1400cc 12p1401cc to 2000cc 15pOver 2000cc 21pDiesel Up to 2000 cc 13pOver 2000cc 17pLPG UP to 1400cc 7p1401cc to 2000cc 9pLPG Over 2000cc 13p

Some mistake, surely?

what company?

It’s not a consultancy. I’m an analyst who travels to see clients about once a month, but the email was also sent to consultants who are in the car more often than not. I’d imagine they put it on the company credit card though. Added at the bottom was this:It should be noted that employees are entitled to claim any differencebetween the rates authorised by the company and those authorised byHMRC direct from their local tax office.

i think they mean you can claim the TAX in the difference, not the actual difference, this is standard stuff anyone can and should be doing - use HMRC form P87

£5K pa, small org, no change for 3 yrs.Get 15ppm mileage allowance - can claim difference (i.e. 40ppm for first 10,000 miles, then 25ppm thereafter) on tax return.

MacD, can you clarify - do you claim ALL the difference or the TAX on the difference. I claim and only get the tax back, i.e. if I'm £1k pounds difference between company rate and R&C rate, I get £400 back

Oh man. Do you think the government is going to pay for the costs of running your car? Cuz that's what it would be if you could claim back ALL the difference.You get the tax back, nothing else.

On the return you put the total difference that it has costed you e.g. you travelled 1000 miles, and recieve 15ppm from employer (total claimed = £150 - the difference will be .4*1000 - .15*1000 = 250. The 250 goes into the relevant box for which HMRC then calculate how much you overpaid (e.g. 40% of 250 for a higher tax payer) - it adds this amount to your allowance for the year.or something like that anyway...

£5K pa , PA Consulting, un-changed since last 2 years