Molls – could you not just do a Partidge and stock up in the morning. You need one of these …

But his entire life is ruined as nobody cares about his bloody lunch !!!! (But I love to post on this thread as molgrips threads are priceless)

but I won’t because I would have broadband lunch anyway so it’s not really a cost of working. [/I]

There, the prosecution rests, M’Lud.
😉

lol and true to STW-endless-thread form, point is missed completely.

Shall we go round again? 😆

Molgrips, you must get some satisfaction from creating these monsters. In 100 years time people will look back at these threads in awe, with sociologists and anthropologists butting heads on how so many people could engage in so fruitless an activity.

2 things from a recent work trip to LA

Thing 1. We were asked if we would fly out a day early (a Saturday) which would save the company almost £500 a head on flights by spanning a Saturday night. However, we were then told work wouldn’t pay the £60 hotel for said Saturday night as it was over a weekend and deemed to be our own time, as per company policy. I flew out on the Sunday.

Thing 2. Sat in a bar a colleague orders another round of beers – not a work event, we weren’t ‘team building’, no clients there etc. He asks for the receipt and I question whether he plans to to expense them – our umpteenth round. He was genuinely angry when I suggested it was unlikely work would subsidise our drinking for the week.

Thank the lord we didn’t have the lunch dilemma (taken out to nice restaurants every day) although I did wonder if I could expense my rather expensive daily mocha frappacinos 😉

What I’ve seen is that some people take the piss with expenses and some people don’t. If you’re one of the latter it will certainly grate when you have to buy your own sandwich whilst someone else puts a £50 bottle of wine and a fancy meal on expenses

I’ve not read every post but it’s clear to me that those who think expenses are some sort of perk clearly do no dot travel much for work. I travelled quite a bit in my last 2 jobs and was often out of pocket and had to argue that standard expenses amounts were not suitable for some countries – Russia, Japan, Scandinavia etc.

I suppose if you always pay for food and lunchtime then Molly’s post may seam unreasonable but I prefer not to waste my money on unhealthy food and make my own lunches or simply make an extra evening meal potion for the next day. I can’t do that whilst away so why should I be out of pocket? It really adds up if you’re away for extended periods.

From my experience those who take the piss on expenses are usually senior management.

No. You haven’t read every post have you.

but it’s clear to me that those who think expenses are some sort of perk clearly do no dot travel much for work

Well, I’ve worked on the road for almost 20 yrs, never got a free lunch or expenses. The world has gone soft, its full of big jessies. Its not even that one has to understand the rules.

If an employer decides to buy breaky and dindins, but not lunch. So what ? get another job.
🙂

No Molly today,
Probably sacked for asking for lunch in a cruel Oliver Twist type storyline.

@cheers_drive – keep up before posting eh?

He’s in HR, explaining his recent claim for a pig-out at Pret a Manger…

Solo – If by saying on the road you mean starting and finishing the day from home then I wouldn’t expect my meals to be expensed either.

No Molly today

I’ve moved on from this thread, that’s why!

What I’ve seen is that some people take the piss with expenses and some people don’t. If you’re one of the latter it will certainly grate when you have to buy your own sandwich whilst someone else puts a £50 bottle of wine and a fancy meal on expenses

£115 plus £35 on cocktails was my record

Wish I had the stones to have submitted the reciept.

Double post

I’ve moved on from this thread, that’s why!

Just reading it and rubbing your thighs ?

And

Couldn’t….

Resist….

Posting !

(That’s not how to move on from a thread by the way)

Thought I’d share: Just had a meeting in that there London, lunch for 3 plus 2 bottles of very nice red in a restaurant just off Leicester Sq and the bill came to a smidge over £300.

😯

Thankfully someone else has to get that one past their accounts dept.

We don’t have a policy, our staff are treated as grown ups and expected to behave as such. Never had a single incident that required a ‘word’.

Now Molly, rogerthecat is someone who had a meeting with some nice people who allow for this kind of thing. Good for you roger.
Molegrips did not ask if lunch was included in his contract and as such is slightly annoyed.Poor Molly.
I say we do a sponsored walk to feed his waif like body even though he’s had an all paid for had a full english breakfast and will be in Nandos later.

Our kid, who’s a director of a media agency in the Smoke, tells a story of taking 2 senior representatives of a certain Swedish furniture store out for lunch at one of London’s finer eateries. They well and truly filled their boots, and spent the afternoon going through the wine list, swilling bottles of vintage chateauneuf du pape. The final lunch bill: a grand and a half! Which she had to put on her expense account. 😯

I miss those days. Blue chip clients and huge expense accounts in marketing.
Damn. Now I have get receipts if I byy a pack of A4 for the printer.

Happy days eddiebaby, happy days and I suspect they are long gone.

I’m posting, but I’m not in any of the arguments any more 🙂

I should thank the people who responded with actual useful info about HMRC and expenses though, ta.

hi moly. did you say you were a contractor or employee? I missed your answer

Not necessarily roger. One of the reps from the company I just left recently put in a grand bar bill (mainly for vodka) after taking 8 of the Russian offices staff out for the evening. That bill was for pre-dinner in the hotel bar, while they were just warming up.

But the Russian lot bring in a lot of business, so the same principles as old apply. Just not in this country any more. Unless you work in banking, I suppose. Where the gravy train has remained in full steam. Bless ’em.

Solo – If by saying on the road you mean starting and finishing the day from home then I wouldn’t expect my meals to be expensed either.

I mean 3am depart, Monday. 9pm return, Friday. Or…. Even being away the weekend too, sometimes. What some folk do for a buck, eh ?

I mean 3am depart, Monday. 9pm return, Friday. Or…. Even being away the weekend too, sometimes. What some folk do for a buck, eh ?

Where have you been living then, as expenses are something that have existed pretty much for ever (well +25 yrs for myself) – or are you paid so much, it doesn’t matter?

Where have you been living then

Travelodge or independent BnB’s. Both have their attractions, I’ve stayed in some very dire Travelodges and some very ropey BnB’s 😯 The theme being very cheap diggs.

or are you paid so much, it doesn’t matter?
😆
That’s the best one so far, this morning.

irelanst – Member

IMO I don’t think there is a discrepancy in your companies policy.

To justify lunch as an expense it would have to be necessary due to being located away from your normal workplace to pay in excess of what is considered ‘normal’. It is perfectly reasonable for them to assume that if a temporary workplace has a canteen then you would use it and therefore the amount you would pay is a ‘normal’ amount*, if you chose not to then that is entirely your choice and not a result of the travel. If the temporary workplace does not have a canteen then you have no choice but to buy lunch elsewhere which is likely to be more expensive, and in these circumstances they have agreed to reimburse you.

The fact that you make a sandwich on a normal day is neither here nor there; you still have that option available.

* I’ve had this discussion during a HMRC audit when contracting at a company that had a works canteen. I didn’t use it and bought sandwiches which I claimed for and apparently wasn’t entitled to.

This is the most sensible post on this entire thread.

As for people checking out their entitlement to lunch expenses when taking a job, as an employer I would give them the information and then probably not offer them the role.

To add a little balance, our business lunch today was at a MacDonald’s in Sheffield and topped out at £8.64 for 2 of us.

I went for a team lunch in Ask in Brum, had to pay for my own. Gutted.

Just to note, I had a free lunch funded by work today. 🙂

We have had customer catering today in our department and the customer finished up yesterday so wasn’t here. I’ve had lunch, a mid afternoon snack, and am taking some home.

The ruthless bastards do expect me to bring my own lunch in most days though. 🙂

It is perfectly reasonable for them to assume that if a temporary workplace has a canteen then you would use it

Really?

Really?

Considering that HMRC, your employer and last but not least me, think it’s reasonable then yes, really.

We’ve just had a buffet tea provided, because we’re staying back late for an open evening. By the time I got there, the dodgy sandwiches had gone, so I had an apple and then bought an overpriced Twix and bag of crisps from the student vending machine for £1.55.

Considering that HMRC, your employer and last but not least me, think it’s reasonable then yes, really.

Overdone cheap food for £4, sign me up 🙄

If that’s HMRC’s guideline then that explains it pretty well. Daft, but there you go.

Never mind all that shit! Have you noticed how now some branches of Gregg’s have stopped doing the 2 sausage rolls for a quid deal? Not all, just some.

Why? What the hells going on Molls?! What?!!!

Overdone cheap food for £4, sign me up

..then continue to buy your own. You may not like it but many will.

Today we had chicken curry and rice in the canteen for lunch.

Splendid flapjack for afternoon tea as well.

I was working through breakfast 🙁