MP's Meal Allowance

Gillybob - what a lovely sentiment. You must be a really nice employer - I hope your staff appreciate you!

My first thought was why can't they take sandwiches, but I suppose that as the majority of MP's are men it might be a bit too difficult for the poor dears.

Things like subsistence allowances really depend on the type of organisation you're working for. Bigger organisations tend to have more extensive policies and provisions for overtime, subsistence allowances, etc.

I've worked in both the public and private sector, but mostly in the private sector.

In small private organisations, (like estate agents, printing firms, manufacturing companies, solicitors, etc.) there weren't many "perks", though a few gave bonuses based on profit, paid-for staff outings and meals, etc. All provided free hot drinks.

In the public services I worked in (like hospitals, local councils, adult education, etc., etc.) there were next to no "perks". Hot drinks had to be paid for, staff Christmas meals, etc., were at our own expense.

In large private organisations (like solicitors, accountants, etc.) there were a great deal of perks - free hot and cold drinks all day long, subsidised restaurants, May Ball, Christmas meals, private health care, yearly health checks, subsistence allowances, interest-free season ticket loans, etc., etc.

Perhaps they should work a normal working week - 8.00 till 16.00 or 9.00-17.00 then they could pay for their own meals. Why is the tax payer funding these people on above average salaries when they are impoverishing some sectors of the population, who are close to the bread-line or below the bread line already. I think it's about time some of these freebies were removed.

We are a micro-business Frank and bluebell and I tend to treat our people the way I would like to be treat myself. A small business like ours is like a family. We are all close and as the only woman in the company I am the nominated "mother".

I think that if someone is working away from home then they have every right to be subsidised. I would not expect anyone to stay in a hotel that I wouldn't stay in myself and always give them enough to cover lunch and a decent evening meal if they are staying overnight. If they choose to get a packet of chips and pocket the rest why should I care?

The fact that HMRC allows employers to provide subsistence allowances doesn't mean they WILL - which is why not everyone would get them. Sadly not the subject of an EU directive but generally where a work
force has good unions, there are more likely to be subsistence allowances.

gillybob

I know there are rules in every business but I hope you would give some leeway if something happened like the incident I just described.

Frank

I run a small business and I know there are strict rules in place as to how much one is allowed to pay employees in expenses for meals over nights etc.

Greatnan where are you?

Like most other rules/regulations the MP's seem to have a don't do as I do, do as I say approach.

Another thing which happened where I worked was one of the people I managed was sent in his own car nearly 200 miles from his normal workplace.
It was decided that was the best way as he had to carry a lot of equipment with him.
It was expected that he would arrive home about 8pm.
Unfortunately a big traffic jam happened and he did not get in until nearly 3 am. He had purchased some extra drink and food and he did not get in to work the next day for obvious reasons.
As he had no holiday left one manager wanted to deduct a days pay and did not want to pay for the food.
I did however take the matter to a more senior manager and the expenses were authorised and he was paid for the day he did not come in.

Frank

I used to but then they stopped it.

Eloethan I am not sure that is right. I never got a meal allowance unless I was working a long way from my office, necessitating an overnight stay. I could work a 12 - 15 hour day and get nothing more than my normal salary.

People working outside normal hours are usually entitled to some sort of subsistence allowance.

I find this revelation less annoying than the Rail Minister who was claiming £80,000 per year for a chauffeured car from Essex to Westminster (35 miles) because he didn't want to take an "overcrowded" train, although he could have been guaranteed a seat and "peace and quiet" by opting for first class - at a fraction of the cost.

When I was at work I always took a packed lunch and worked through lunch. Bet not the only one. The days of luncheon Vouchers are long gone!

At CAB we have a rising demand for food vouchers. I could arrange for a supply of them to be delivered to the House of Commons - but they'd have to come to Cheshire.

The rules I claim under quite rightly demand a receipt got everything

gracesmum

The only problem is there are workers who do not use the canteen.
I can remember my department got an invoice for about £80 a week canteen subsidy and at 1 point I was the only one using the canteen and that was not every day.

Frank

There are very strict HMRC rules about meal allowances which must include limits on costs and the circumstances in which they can be claimed but within those limits they are not taxable nor are travel expenses. But company cars of course are taxed and so are subsidised school fees which teachers in independent schools enjoy for their children

Nelliemoser

The £15 standard meal allowance became payable if you arrived home after 7.30pm. There was no rule saying you had to even go out for a meal.
You could claim more under exceptional circumstance but receipts had to be produced.

Frank

Perks like lunch allowances/subsidised dining rooms or canteens shuld be taxed just as, I believe Luncheon Vouchers were in the days when they were issued to staff. MPs expenses are an exploited area and open to abuse.

If you have to work after 7.30 or be away from home overnight what's wrong with a meal allowance ? It's common practice. With the MPs given that they have a subsidised restaurant on site, why not issue food vouchers to be used there on nights they sit after 7.30 with limit of £15 which they could top up. I better not tell you what my evening meal allowance is when I'm working away from home!!!

If it was a per dium amount Frank may have had no choice about how much to claim.

Bloody hell! They get paid enough have they not heard of taking sandwiches to work!

Frank So you were taking advantage of the meal allowance by buying a meal for £8 and claiming £15.
Not illegal but is that within your standards of being ethical. That is is what most MPs fell foul of in terms of public perception.

Oh no Mrsj I think it needs a full investigation, possibly bringing in external consultants and then and expensive survery of what happens in the civil service. This would take approximately 6 months and cost a few million.

Perhaps they could create a small quango that would produce several illustrated glossy pamphlets on 'How to make a nutricious packed lunch'. Or maybe you aren't allowed to put your sandwiches into one of those red boxes

The rules where I worked were a little bit crazy.
If we were working more than 3 miles from our normal office we could claim £5 for lunch even if the office we visited had a works canteen.
Also if we were sent on a training course or somewhere some distance away we could claim £15 for dinner if we got back after 7.30 at night.
With regard to the £5 for lunch I was 2 miles from my normal office once and there was no canteen and I had to pay a higher price for lunch as I did not know the area and did not have time to look round and could claim nothing.
When I got back late in the evening often I would head to a pub and get a meal for about £8 including a drink at that time and claim the £15 standard allowance.

Frank