One of the great benefits of setting up a limited company is that you can claim the following legitimate business expenses:
What is a business expense?
A business expense is any expenditure that is “a wholly, exclusively and necessary expense” incurred by the business for its performance of day-to-day duties. There is no duality of purpose for mixed business and personal usage.
What expenses are tax deductible?
- Accountancy (All fees including advice pre company incorporation and accounting software)
- Accommodation – find out more
- Advertising
- Air fares (Exception of 1st class)
- Annual company fee
- Bad debts (Debt 6 months unpaid, VAT needs adding back to output tax if not cash accounting or flat rate scheme)
- Bank charges
- Bicycles and related costs – find out more
- Broadband internet – find out more
- Business gifts (Corporate: Max of £50 in a 12 month period. Food, alcohol and tobacco do not qualify)
- Business start-up (Incorporation fees, VAT, PAYE and CT registration fees, accountancy advice, lawyers advice/contracts drawn up)
- Capital allowances (Depreciation on assets)
- Car hire (Proportionate if there is an element of personal use)
- Childcare vouchers – find out more
- Christmas gifts (Need 2 or more employees other than just Director to qualify. Alcohol, food and tobacco do not qualify)
- Charitable donations
- Clothing (Uniform and not used for personal use)
- Computer equipment (Under the net value of £500)
- Company formation fee
- Conference expenses
- Depreciation (On assets above £500 net value, either straight line or reducing balance)
- Director’s salary – find out more
- Entertainment – find out more
- Eye test – find out more
- Foreign exchange costs (Costs of converting foreign invoiced revenue back to sterling) – find out more
- Health check BUPA and other annual screening check for director or employees
- Hire and rental charges
- Hire purchase (Agreement must be in the company name)
- Home working expenses – find out more
- Insurance (Office contents, Employers liability, Executive income protection, Key man life, Jury service, Motor, Tax investigation, Permanent & private health, Professional indemnity, Public liability)
- Interest on business loans (In company name)
- Key man life insurance
- Leasing rental (In company name)
- Legal costs (Breaches of law and penalty payments are not allowable)
- Magazines and Books – find out more
- Marketing costs
- Medical insurance (Foreign contracts only)
- Medical treatment (Only when on business abroad)
- Mileage – For more information click here
- Mobile telephones – find out more
- Motor vehicles (Company owned, no improvement costs)
- National insurance contributions (Not class 1a)
- Office rental
- Parking (£5 daily for un-receipted)
- Patent costs
- Pensions provided to employees (Seek professional advice from an independent advisor)
- Postage (No VAT reclaimable)
- Professional fees
- Printing
- Property rental (Apportion where private)
- Repairs to equipment
- Salaries and wages
- Software (Incl. accounting software)
- Sponsorship (Allowable when given freely, no VAT needs to be charged)
- Stationery
- Subsistence – find out more
- Taxi fares (‘Adequate’ fares are allowable)
- Telephone (Proportional if not in the business name)
- Training courses (Must be relevant to the nature of the business)
- Training manuals or books (Allowable when specific to business)
- Travel – find out more
- Use of home as office (£3 weekly HMRC approved)
Many of these claims are a tax deductible grey area and require further reading for more specific detail, please see the ‘find out more‘ links and refer to the HMRC website for exact specifications on claims.
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