Travel Policy
Colleagues are permitted a maximum budget of £250 per trip for trains and hotels. Colleagues can either pay for this themselves and be reimbursed through the expense process (receipts must be provided), use the credit line as a payment method or use their own L&Q company’s purchasing card (please include examples of how each would be used). Claims may not be made any more than six months from the date of the expense.
Terms of use:
Economy should be exercised when travelling on business by:
- Travelling by the most efficient route (please demonstrate how your system guarantees this)
- Combining meetings/visits in a particular area wherever possible
- Using economy/standard class public transport
- Taking advantage of cheap deals where they are available (e.g. travel cards for rail travel) (please demonstrate how your system facilitates this)
- Using the most economic form of transport – this includes the use of rail transport in preference to cars, where it is both cheaper and comparable in terms of time taken and general convenience.
Circumstances under which subsistence allowances may be claimed:
- Breakfast: May be claimed if you are away from home overnight on L&Q Group business and breakfast is not provided (e.g. as part of a conference or training course) or, where it is necessary for you to leave home before 6.30 am, in order to travel to a conference meeting or training venue
- Evening meal: May be claimed if you are engaged in work related activity either at or away from the office after 7.30 pm and no evening meal is provided
Overnight stays
Circumstances where an overnight stay is required may include prior to a training course, conference or meeting. In all cases these must be authorised by your line manager in advance of incurring expenditure. The L&Q Group expects you to be economical with its resources.
An additional payment of £30 per day subsistence allowance will be paid to cover meals and out-of-pocket expenses.
Accommodation
Employees can book overnight accommodation where their round trip to attend a one-day business event is in excess of six hours, i.e. three hours each way.
For example – An employee with an eight-hour round trip, i.e. four hours each way, is to attend a one-day training course and which is due to start at 9am. The employee could choose to book overnight accommodation the evening before the course or the evening after the course, but not both.
Employees are allowed to book overnight accommodation where their round trip to attend a business event on two or more consecutive days is in excess of four hours, i.e. two hours each way. For example: An employee with a six-hour round trip, i.e. three hours each way, who is to attend a three-day business event would be expected to travel on the first day of the event and return home on the last day of the event.
The employee is expected to research and then select the hotel that offers the best value for money and convenience to your place of business. The Group expects employees to book accommodation as far in advance as possible in order to obtain the best available rates.
Employees should consider the location of the hotel and regard the cost of taxis, etc and the time required to travel to and from the hotel.
The maximum amount the Group will reimburse for Bed and Breakfast accommodation and up to £25 for an evening meal (to include only one drink) will be:
- Within the M25 up to £125 per night with advance booking, but in exceptional circumstances up to £165 with prior approval from a Director
- Outside the M25 up to £125 per night with advance booking, but in exceptional circumstances up to £150 with prior approval from a Director
Where a hotel booking includes breakfast, lunch or dinner as part of the agreed rate, staff should try to avail of this where possible and not claim for meals additionally.
All prices are inclusive of VAT. There may be occasions where the rate taken is higher than the rates allowed. These hotels may be booked only if lower priced accommodation is not available; for example is required as part of the event i.e. party conferences, in other circumstances authorisation has been obtained from your line manager. (please demonstrate how your system facilitates this).
Any additional charges that may be incurred, such as WI-FI, must be agreed in advance by the employee’s line manager.
Valid VAT receipts are required for all costs incurred and to justify any claims.
Employees are welcome to spend more on hotels and meals, but will only be able to claim up to the values detailed above (please demonstrate how your system facilitates this).
