- Section: Pay, Allowances and Pensions
- Source: Cabinet Member - Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services
- Issue Date: 2nd November 2020
Introduction
All employees share the responsibility to ensure that the Council reduces its carbon emissions and the costs related to travel. Before undertaking any journey, all employees should consider if there are alternative means, such as video conferencing, email, telecommunications etc., rather than a face-to-face meeting. Given the current times of COVID-19 the use of bicycles (bike or e-bike) is to be particularly encouraged.
Where travel is essential, and it is practical and safe to do so, employees may choose to undertake reasonable journeys using a bicycle for travel in connection with work duties whenever possible.
The purpose of scheme is not to pay a mileage for a commute to an employee’s base or to an agile working base which becomes a more regular place of work (unless that place is a greater distance than the employees’ acknowledged base and is there is a good reason to use that base). It is to provide mileage when a bicycle is used for a legitimate purpose connected to a work duty.
A journey that an employee must make as part of their job, for example travel from their usual workplace to visit clients, make site visits, or to attend another site for business reasons.
If you are working at home and undertaking a journey which is completely different from your normal commute to work and does not go directly past your normal work base you can claim business mileage from home for the whole journey.
If your business journey starts from home and goes directly past your work base, you must only claim business mileage from the work base and deduct your normal commute. If you are returning to your work base after the meeting, you can claim for the return journey to your work base. However, if your journey back to your work base forms part of your normal commute you should deduct that element of the journey from your claim.
Business mileage claims are for the shortest route. Distances travelled should be reasonable in terms of time and cost and subject to manager’s reasonable discretion. If in doubt as to whether a claim will be valid the employee should seek some guidance.
Employees who use their own bicycle (bike or e-bike) to undertake a journey that qualifies as business travel will receive a tax-free allowance of 20 pence a mile in line with HMRC Mileage Allowance Payments. Payments will only be made if in line with that Allowance Payment Scheme.
Journeys between home and your normal base are not classed as business travel for this purpose, this is your normal commute.
Journeys between your home and an agile base less than your normal commute (which becomes a regular working base).
Employees who use a Council pool bike or e-bike will not be entitled to claim the mileage rate.
Employees who loan a bike or e-bike from the Council under the Cycle to Work Salary Sacrifice Scheme are not eligible to receive the bicycle mileage rate until the end of the Salary Sacrifice Period.
In order to be eligible to claim this allowance, the journey must be calculated by Google Maps or use of a device which records distance such as smart phone or activity watch. The employee must claim expenses via the HR and Payroll system on a monthly basis.
In order for claims to be paid via Payroll on the 15th of the month, they must be input in the HR and Payroll system and approved by your line manager no later than the 1st of the month.
Partial miles can be claimed, there is no need to round up or down.
If you are not a user of the HR and Payroll system but have a personal email account, you can be sent a link to enable electronic access by contacting Transactional HR on
0151 934 3332 or emailing payroll@sefton.gov.uk
The decision as to approval rests with your Line Manager in accordance with principles of this scheme.
Knowingly claiming inappropriate or false expenses may be construed as a disciplinary offence and considered as potential gross misconduct.
Responsible and safe cycling must be observed at all times, and the cycle must be well-maintained and, in a road worthy condition.
It is strongly recommended that users wear appropriate safety equipment such as a cycle helmet and high visibility/reflective clothing.
Third party liability insurance is strongly recommended. An employee should explore this with their insurance provider; the cost of such insurance will be the sole responsibility of the employee.
In the event that the equipment is lost or stolen the Council will not be responsible.
Any incidents or accidents must be reported to the relevant line manager.
Information concerning cycle routes, road safety and cycle storage can be obtained by emailing transport.planning@sefton.gov.uk or road.safety@sefton.gov.uk
Health & Safety guidance for the use of bicycles is available on the intranet - Cycling safety
| Bicycle Mileage Examples |