Get on your bike!

Did you know that you can claim business mileage for riding your bike at work? Here is how to get fit, save tax, and protect the environment.

Do you use a bike at work to go and visit customers, suppliers or your Accountant?

A little know fact is that you can claim business mileage for using your bike, as well as a motorbike or a car.

What are mileage allowance payments?

Mileage allowance payments (MAPs) are amounts that you pay an employee to compensate them for the cost of using their own vehicle, i.e. car, van, motorcycle or bicycle, for business travel.

What does the exemption cover?

The exemption only applies to approved mileage allowance payments (AMAPs). Mileage allowance payments are approved if the total amount of all such payments made to the employee for the kind of vehicle in question does not exceed the approved amount for such payments applicable to that kind of vehicle. Amounts paid in excess of the approved amount are taxable and must be declared on the P11D.

What is the approved amount?

The approved amount that will make a MAP into an AMAP is worked out by using the simple formula:

M x R.

Where:

using that kind of vehicle in question; and

Different rates apply for cars and vans for the first 10,000 miles travelled in the tax year and subsequent miles once the first 10,000 mile threshold has been reached. The 10,000 mile limit applies to the total number of business miles travelled by the employee in relation to the employment. There is no change in the rates for motorbikes or bicycles if you exceed 10,000 miles per year.

Example 1

Johnny uses his own bike for business travel to see his clients. During the tax year in question he travels 2,150 business miles (and is super fit!) . He is paid in accordance with the mileage allowance rates of 20p per mile

The approved amount is M x R

(2,150 x 20p) = £430

Johnny can be paid mileage payments of £430 for the tax year tax free. His employer does not need to return the sums paid on the P11D.