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HMRC internal manual

National Insurance Manual

NIM05827 - Class 1 NICs: Expenses and Allowances: Motoring expenses (including mileage allowances) paid on or after 6 April 2002: Relevant motoring expenditure: Comparison with mileage allowance payments

This table illustrates the differences between relevant motoring expenditure (RME) for NICs (NIM05815) and mileage allowance payments (MAPs) for income tax (EIM31210), for different types of payments made to or for an employee’s benefit. They provide you with references in the NIM so you can find more information. For tax, for the treatment of mileage for business and private use, see EIM31210, for all the other listed expenses in the table, see EIM31215. The tables do not cover every type of payment made by or on behalf of the employer.

Payments made by or on behalf of the employer to the employee

This table includes payments made by or on behalf of the employer to the employee.

Example:

The employer gives the employee £180 to reimburse the cost of paying his road fund licence for his own car. This is a payment made by the employer to the employee. The table shows that the payment is RME but is not a MAP.

DescriptionIs it RME?Is it MAP?NICs reference
DepreciationNoNoNIM05825
Road Fuel LicenceYesNoNIM05815
InsuranceYesNoNIM05815
ServicingYesNoNIM05815
RepairsYesNoNIM05815
Replacement tyresYesNoNIM05815
Parking feesNo NoNIM05825
TollsNoNoNIM05825
Mileage rate for business milesYesYesNIM05816
Mileage rate for private milesYesNoNIM05821
Payments/benefits in kindNoNo-
Use of employer's or third party's credit card or agency card (NIM02193 not met)YesNoNIM05819


Other than the mileage rate for business miles, the other payments in the table are not MAPs. That is because the payments are not in respect of business mileage expenses.

Payments made by or on behalf of the employer to someone other than the employee

Although payments made to someone other than the employee can be RME, they are never MAPs. That is because payments must be made to the employee to be MAPs.

Example

The employer purchases the employee’s vehicle excise duty (VED) direct from DVLA. This is a payment made by the employer to someone other than the employee but it is for the employee’s benefit. The table shows that the payment is RME but is not a MAP.