What A Shower!

[sir.prize]

They've all got their snouts in the trough

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/top-officials-tax-perks-paid-state-094612256.html#BUVLxdx

[chrisgel]

Totally agree Sir.prize. If there's a way to swindle more money out of the never ending pot they'll find it. It's pure greed and done under the counter as well.
Where's the accountability? This must have been passed off by someone higher up.

[sir.prize]

HMRC are at the forefront. They obviously are fully aware. But don't consider it is wrong.

But they never fail to tax a pension.

[chrisgel]

I'm only too aware of that.

[LazyGun]

HMRC are going to be unconcerned - The tax is being paid, and I don't suppose it comes from the individual or the employer.

The real issue comes down to what we should consider reasonable, fair and equitable in order to do the job. It is claimed that One of those guys needs a chaffeur driven car because of issues of Confidential documents. That may be possible, I suppose. Why do they all seem to need to travel first class on the train though?

And it is alleged that one of them was claiming the cost of commuting between London and the Lake District. Again, not sure quite why the taxpayer needs to fund that.

Although I will say - in one job I was in, I had to spend 3 days a week in my companies offices in Livingston every week unless I was abroad on business, commuting from my home in Hertfordshire - and the company picked up the cost of the commute be it air fare, train or fuel costs, and covered the cost of a small flat, so it does happen in the private sector too.

[FredPuli43]

Exactly, LG. The Revenue see this all the time in the private sector, and are, of course, perfectly happy with it. No particular reason why a government employer shouldn't do the same. The need for the expenditure in individual cases is another matter.

[jno]

having a company car is pretty common, and it doesn't matter who pays the tax, the driver or the employer. But since the employer is me, it would be nice to know just what perks I'm funding.

[glenbar]

How they have the brass neck to dictate to us I don't know, but I think you must have to be really thick skinned for that as a career.