Vehicle Benefits

Car Benefit

The benefit of using a company car is based on a percentage of the cars list price graduated according to the level of the car's CO2 emissions.

Click here for the full CO2 emissions table

This benefit is calculated as follows:

List Price x Relevant Scale Percentage.

For example, in 2009/10 a petrol car costing £22,000 with a CO2 emission of 190g will be taxed as £22,000 x 26% resulting in a benefit in kind of £5,720.

Diesel cars attract a 3% supplement (but not to take the relevant percentage over 35%).  There are special rules for alternative fuel cars and for automatics driven by some disabled drivers.

 

Class 1A National Insurance

In addition employers have to pay Class 1A National Insurance at 12.8% in 2009/10 and 2010/11 on all taxable benefits, increasing to 13.8% from 2011/12..

 

Fuel Benefit

The benefit of having fuel provided for private mileage is also based on the cars CO2 emissions.  The fuel scale benefit is reduced to nil only if the employee makes good all the cost of fuel used for private use.  Journeys between home and place of work are regarded as private motoring.

Click here for the Fuel Benefit Rates

Private Fuel in Company Cars
If instead of having private fuel an employee with a company car pays for all fuel personally, an employer can reimburse as follows for business mileage.

 
From 1.12.09
From 1.7.09
Petrol
Diesel
Petrol
Diesel
per mile
per mile
 per mile
per mile
Under 1400cc
11p
11p
10p
10p
1400cc - 2000cc
14p
11p
12p
10p
Over 2000 cc
20p
14p
18p
13p

Authorised Inland Revenue Mileage Rates
These are the amount an employer can pay if the employee uses his own car for business.

Business Mileage
per mile
First 10,000 miles
40p
Excess over 10,000 miles
25p
Each passenger making same business trip
5p
 
Rates for other modes of transport are:
per mile
Motor Cycles
24p
Bicycles
20p

If employers pay higher rates the amount paid in excess of the statutory rates will be liable to tax and National Insurance.

Other Benefits/Limits

Vans

2009/10
2010/11
£
£
Company vans used for private use
3,000
3,000
Fuel in vans for private use
500
550

A nil charge applies to employees who have to take their van home, (i.e. for an early start) providing they are not allowed other private use. The benefit is also reduce to nil if the van is propelled solely by electricity.

 

 

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