News
Employees Company Cars Taxation
26 - 11 - 2021
Employees being provided with company cars for personal use are taxed based on a Benefit In Kind (BIK) value. There are two possible BIK values; one for the provision of the car; and one for the provision of the fuel. Since 06 April 2020 we have seen the UK government introduce some tax exemptions for electric and ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV’s) as they encourage the use of electric vehicles.
Do I need to pay personal tax, if I only use the vehicle for business use?
If your employer provides the vehicle and you only use it for business use with no private use
then you will not be assessed to a Benefit In Kind (BIK).
The legislation does allow for insignificant private use
but this has never been defined.
How is the car value assessed?
The value of the car is the original list price, including any extras, plus delivery and VAT. The
car value is not what the business paid for it or the market value at time of purchase.
Does it matter when the car is registered?
Yes. The vehicle registration date is important in determining the percentage BIK applicable
to the value.
Will the CO2 emissions make a difference to the Benefit in Kind?
Yes. The CO2 emission is important in determining the percentage BIK applicable to the value.
The lower the CO2 emission the lower the BIK percentage applicable.
Will the fuel type make a difference to the tax?
Yes. You will need to know what type of fuel the vehicle uses. The BIK percentage applicable
will be affected by the fuel type.
How is the BIK calculated?
The BIK calculation is: Vehicle Value X the BIK percentage banding = BIK Value
What tax do I pay on the BIK Value?
The amount of tax the employee pays depends on the rate of income tax that they pay. The
BIK Value is added to the taxable income for the tax year as though it was received in cash
and taxed accordingly.
Do I have to pay tax for a whole tax year if I only have the vehicle part way through a year?
No. The BIK value will be time apportioned depending on how many days it was available to
you as the employee during the tax year.
How is the fuel BIK assessed?
If the business provides all of the fuel including fuel used for private journeys there will be a
BIK assessment to tax. The assessment is based on the BIK percentage, as calculated above,
multiplied by £24,600 for the tax year 2021/2022. Please note the value is determined by the
government and can change each tax year.
What if I want to pay for my private fuel?
You have 2 options:
1. You pay for all fuel. You then charge the company for any business mileage that you
do at the HMRC approved company car mileage rates. The Company Car Mileage
rates are lower than if you use your personal car as the employer is paying all of the
running costs. The approved mileage rates are issued every quarter to take into
account any fluctuations in costs.
2. You make a contribution for fuel to your employer. Any contribution will be deducted
from your vehicle BIK charge not from your fuel benefit.
Are electric cars taxed differently?
No the same rules apply to electric cars. However the BIK percentages are lower to encourage
the use of electric vehicles. Please see our Advice Note on Electric Cars.
What if I have a van supplied by my employer?
There is no BIK if the van is only used for business journeys or as a pool van. A pool van
should be kept at the business premises and must be made available and used by more than
one employee. Vans used for “insignificant” private journeys are exempt from reporting.
What if I use the van for private use?
The BIK value for the van in the 2021/2022 tax year is fixed at £3,500. The amount can be
reduced where:
ï‚· The employee cannot use the van for 30 days in a row;
ï‚· The employee pays the employer to use the van privately;
ï‚· Other employees use the van.
What happens if the van is a zero emission van?
The van would still need to be reported to HMRC but the BIK percentage would be 0% giving
a BIK Value of £0.
What if I use the van for private use and my employer pays for all the fuel?
As well as the BIK value of £3,500 for the 2021/2022 tax year there will also be a fuel BIK value
of £669.
The amount can be reduced where:
ï‚· The employee cannot use the van for 30 days in a row;
ï‚· The employee pays the employer back for all their private fuel. The employee would
need to keep records to prove this and calculate the relevant amount;
ï‚· The employer stopped providing fuel during the year.
f you would like to discuss any of the issues noted above or need an estimate of a particular
vehicles Benefit In Kind Value please contactus@foremansllp.com:
