Have you ever asked yourself if you can claim VAT on business entertaining? 

The answer isn’t always straightforward! HMRC’s VAT rules treat staff entertainment and client entertainment very differently. Some expenses—like team-building events for employees—qualify for VAT recovery, while wining and dining clients usually doesn’t.  

Let’s break down the key differences between staff and business entertainment expenses and clear up which types of expenses you can and can’t claim VAT on. 

What’s the difference between staff and business entertainment expenses? 

The key difference comes down to who you’re entertaining and why. 

Staff entertainment is all about your employees. Think team-building days, Christmas parties, or a summer BBQ to reward hard work. The goal? Boost morale, encourage teamwork, and make your employees feel valued. 

Business entertainment on the other hand, is focused on clients, prospects, or suppliers. This includes things like taking a potential client out for dinner, treating them to a sports event, or organising a fancy networking drinks reception. The aim here is to strengthen relationships and potentially win more business. 

Can you claim VAT on business entertaining?

In most cases no. You can’t reclaim VAT on business entertainment expenses like client dinners, tickets to events, or free hotel stays. HMRC sees these as perks rather than costs that are wholly and exclusively for business purposes—so they don’t qualify for VAT recovery. 

That said, there are some exceptions. For instance, if you’re hosting an overseas client and providing reasonable hospitality—like tea, coffee, and sandwiches during a business meeting—you can reclaim the VAT. The key is that the hospitality must be for an overseas client, it must be directly linked to business discussions, and it mustn’t be excessive. 

Think of it this way, if you take an overseas client to a Michelin-starred restaurant with an à la carte menu, HMRC would likely see it as entertainment rather than a business necessity—so no VAT recovery. But if you provide a simple working lunch in the office, that’s more acceptable. 

Can you claim VAT on staff entertainment? 

Yes, you can claim VAT on staff entertainment—but only if certain conditions are met. 

Think of it like this, if you throw a Christmas party for all your employees to thank them for their hard work, you can reclaim the VAT on the cost of the event. That’s because the entertainment is for a business purpose (staff morale and appreciation), and it’s available to all employees—not just the directors or business owners. 

However, if a company director takes a few clients and a couple of senior managers out for a fancy dinner in London, that wouldn’t qualify. Even though some employees are there, they’re acting as hosts to non-employees, which means the VAT on that meal isn’t recoverable. 

Can you claim VAT on client entertainment? 

No, you generally can’t claim VAT on client entertainment. 

Let’s say you take a potential client out for dinner to impress them and hopefully win some business. Even though this is a common part of doing business, HMRC sees it as an unnecessary expense rather than a business essential—so you can’t reclaim the VAT on that meal. 

However, there are some grey areas. For example, if your company sponsors a big industry conference where clients are entertained, but you also get significant brand exposure, you might be able to reclaim some VAT.  

What details do you need to claim VAT on business entertaining? 

By now you know that the only type of business entertainment where VAT can be reclaimed is staff entertainment. 

To claim VAT on staff entertainment, it’s important to keep accurate records—this way, if HMRC ever has any questions, you’ll be able to show that the expenses meet the necessary criteria. 

Let’s say you throw a team-building day for your employees at a go-karting track. To reclaim the  

VAT, you’d need: 

1. VAT receipts: the venue should provide a proper VAT invoice showing the total cost and VAT amount. 
2. Proof it was for your employees: a guest list or internal invite showing it was a staff-only event (and not just for directors). 
3. Business purpose: something to show that the event was for team building, not just a fun day out.  

It’s also a good idea to digitise your receipts and keep them on file for at least four years—just in case HMRC wants to check your VAT return later.  

Keep track of all your business, staff and client entertainment expenses

With Capture Expense, you can effortlessly track, digitise, and apply the correct VAT rates to all your business, staff, and client entertainment expenses.  

Stay HMRC-compliant, save time, and never miss a reclaim opportunity. Book a personalised demo today and see how easy expense management can be! 

When it comes to claiming VAT on travel expenses, the key is knowing what’s eligible and what’s not. While you can reclaim VAT on things like hotel stays, car hire, and fuel for company vehicles, other costs—such as flights and train tickets—are zero-rated, meaning there’s no VAT to reclaim.  

You probably have lots of questions around what you can and can’t claim. Luckily for you, we have all the answers. 

What is VAT on travel expenses? 

VAT on travel expenses refers to the Value Added Tax (VAT) that’s applied to costs incurred during business-related travel. This can include expenses like transportation, accommodation, meals, and other travel-related services.  

For businesses, VAT on travel expenses can often be reclaimed if the travel is for work purposes, provided the expenses are appropriately documented and fall within VAT guidelines.  

However, VAT rules can vary depending on the country or region, and some travel expenses may be exempt or have different VAT rates. 

What business travel expenses can you claim VAT on? 

When you’re travelling for business in the UK, you can usually reclaim VAT on certain expenses, as long as they’re for work purposes and you have valid VAT receipts.  

Here’s a list of the business travel expenses can you claim VAT on:  

1. Transport costs:

• Car hire 
• Fuel for company vehicles 
• Taxis and other on-demand transportation services
• Public transport (trains, buses, flights)

2. Accommodation:

• Hotel stays 
• Bed and breakfast (B&B)
• Serviced apartments 

3. Meals and drinks:

• Meals and drinks (breakfast, lunch and dinner) 
• Hotel meals
• Working lunches/dinners  

4. Extras and incidentals:

• Parking fees 
• Motorway tolls 
• Wi-Fi and Internet charges
• Business-related subscriptions 

5. Other business travel expenses:

• Business gifts (provided they comply with HMRC gift-giving guidelines) 
• Conference and seminar fees 
• Business equipment and supplies (laptops or office materials purchased for use during business travel) 

And when it comes to employee vs. client travel 

Employee travel: let’s say an employee travels to a conference on behalf of the business. The company books the employee’s flights and hotel accommodation and incurs VAT on these expenses. As this travel is for business purposes, the company can reclaim the VAT on the flights, hotel stays, and any other associated expenses. 

Client travel: now, suppose the same company arranges travel for a client to attend the same conference. The company books and pays for the client’s flights and accommodation and then reimburses the client for these costs. Here, VAT on these travel expenses isn’t recoverable (unless the expense is part of a business transaction that directly relates to the company’s taxable services). 

Can you claim VAT on train travel?

No, you can’t claim VAT back on train tickets. That’s because train fares in the UK are zero-rated for VAT, meaning no VAT is charged in the first place—so there’s nothing to reclaim. 

Think of it this way, imagine you’re travelling from London to Manchester for a business meeting, and you book an advance train ticket for £80. When you check the receipt, you’ll see no VAT has been added. Since VAT wasn’t charged, you can’t claim it back. 

Can you claim VAT on air travel?

No. Just like train tickets, flights are zero-rated, which means no VAT is charged to begin with. 

Let’s say you book a return flight from London to Edinburgh for a business trip, and the ticket costs £150. When you check the receipt, you won’t see any VAT added. 

Before attempting to reclaim VAT on any expense, always check your receipts. If there’s no VAT listed, there’s nothing to claim! 

Can you claim VAT on mileage?

Yes, you can claim VAT on mileage expenses but only on the fuel portion of the mileage allowance—not on the part covering ‘wear and tear’. 

Say you’re a VAT-registered business, and you reimburse an employee for driving 100 miles in their own car for work. You pay them 45p per mile, (which is the standard HMRC mileage rate for 2024/25). However, you can’t reclaim VAT on the full 45p—only on the fuel element. 

To work this out, you’ll need HMRC’s advisory fuel rates, which are updated every quarter. If the fuel portion is, say, 14p per mile, you can reclaim VAT on that part, not the full 45p. 

So, before making a claim, check the latest advisory fuel rates and make sure you keep accurate records, including mileage logs and fuel receipts. 

Can you claim VAT on foreign travel expenses?

Yes, you can reclaim VAT on foreign travel expenses—but only on certain costs, and the process is different from claiming UK VAT. 

Imagine you’re on a business trip to Germany. You stay in a hotel, rent a car, and take clients out for dinner. The hotel and car hire include German VAT (Mehrwertsteuer), and in most cases, you can apply for a refund on these expenses. However, the restaurant bill isn’t reclaimable, as Germany doesn’t allow VAT refunds on meals. 

You can’t reclaim this foreign VAT through your usual UK VAT return. Instead, you’ll need to apply for a refund through the EU VAT refund scheme (if the country is in the EU) or a similar process for non-EU countries. The rules vary, so it’s important to check what’s eligible in each country. 

Are you struggling to claim VAT on travel expenses?  

Capture Expense takes the guesswork out of VAT claims by automatically applying the correct rates and making sure your records are 100% HMRC-compliant. Book a personalised demo today and see how easy it is to increase your VAT claim success by 34% 

Did you know that business travel in the UK hit a record £68 billion in 2024? Running a business means keeping a close eye on every opportunity to increase sales and manage company spend wisely. One area where you could see substantial savings is by claiming VAT on mileage.  

Many business owners are unaware that VAT can be reclaimed on business-related travel, but with the right guidance, you can make the most of this opportunity. 

Let’s look at who can claim VAT on mileage expenses and how to make a claim.   

Who can claim VAT on mileage?

Think of claiming VAT on mileage like getting a refund on part of your fuel costs—but only if you follow the rules. 

Here they are:

Your company must be VAT–registered 

Being VAT-registered means you charge VAT on your sales and can reclaim VAT on your business expenses. 

If your business isn’t VAT-registered, you can’t reclaim VAT on anything, including mileage.  

It must be for business use only 

Your trip has to be 100% work-related.

If you’re: 

• Driving to meet a client? That counts.  
• Going to a networking event? Absolutely.   
• Taking a detour to grab a coffee with a friend on your way home? Nope, that part doesn’t count! 

Let’s break it down with a real-world scenario

Imagine you run a small IT consulting business, and you’re VAT-registered.  

You often drive to meet up with clients, attend tech conferences, and visit suppliers for new equipment. Since all these trips are for business purposes, you can claim VAT on the mileage. 

Now, let’s say you also use the same car for personal trips—like going on holiday or picking up groceries. That mileage can’t be included in your VAT claim because it’s not business-related. 

What do you need to make a successful claim? 

First and foremost, you need to keep accurate records. So, every time you drive for work, you should keep track of:

• The date. 
• Where you started and where you went. 
• The reason for the trip. 
• How many miles you covered. 

You also need fuel receipts that show VAT details—a credit card statement alone won’t cut it.  

Your step-by-step guide to claiming VAT on mileage

Let’s imagine Sarah runs a small consulting business and frequently travels to meet clients. She wants to claim VAT on her mileage expenses.  

Here’s how she does it: 

Step 1. Gather fuel receipts 

Sarah makes sure to keep all her fuel receipts whenever she fills up her car. Since VAT can only be reclaimed on fuel for business use, having VAT invoices from petrol stations is essential. 

She stores them in a folder and uploads digital copies to her expense management platform to stay organised. 

Step 2. Track business mileage 

Sarah keeps a detailed mileage log. For every business trip, she records: 

• The date of the journey. 
• The journey details (i.e., from her office in Manchester to a client’s premises in Liverpool). 
• The purpose of the journey (i.e., client meeting). 
• The distance travelled (80 miles round trip). 

She uses Capture Expense’s AI-powered matching tool to accurately categorise her expenses, making sure she only claims VAT on business mileage.  

By maintaining an accurate mileage log, she can provide evidence for all her business-related journeys if HMRC ever needs verification. 

Step 3. Apply the correct advisory fuel rate 

Sarah drives a petrol car with a 1.6-litre engine. Checking HMRC’s advisory fuel rates for 2025, she finds that the applicable rate is 15p per mile. 

Step 4. Calculate the fuel cost for business use

She multiplies her business miles (see Step 2) by the advisory fuel rate: 

80 miles × £0.15 = £12.00 (fuel cost for this trip). 

If Sarah completes multiple business trips in a month, she repeats this calculation for each journey and then adds the totals together.  

Step 5. Work out how much VAT to reclaim 

VAT is included within the fuel cost, so to extract the reclaimable amount, Sarah divides by 6 (since VAT at 20% means 1/6 of the total price is VAT): 

£12.00 ÷ 6 = £2.00 reclaimable VAT for this trip.

If Sarah drives 1,500 business miles in a month, her VAT calculation would be:

1,500 miles × £0.15 = £225 (total fuel cost).

£225 ÷ 6 = £37.50 reclaimable VAT. 

At the end of the quarter, Sarah includes her VAT mileage claim in her VAT return.  

Are you looking for an accurate business mileage tracker? 

If you need help claiming VAT on mileage or with any other aspect of your travel expenses, book a demo today to see how we can help.  

Filing your VAT return can be a complex process—especially if you’re new to VAT or unsure about the VAT return deadlines.  

To make things simple, we’ll walk you through what a VAT return is, the VAT return deadlines, and a step-by-step guide on how to do a VAT return. 

What’s a VAT return?

A VAT return is a document that businesses submit to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to report the value-added tax (VAT) they have charged on sales (output tax) and the VAT they have paid on business purchases (input tax).  

It typically covers a specific accounting period, either quarterly or annually, and allows the business to calculate how much VAT it owes or can reclaim.  

Businesses must file VAT returns even if no VAT is due, and they must do so on time to avoid penalties or interest charges. 

What to include in your VAT return

When you file your VAT return, you’ll need to include:

• Your total sales and purchases. 
• The amount of VAT you owe. 
• The amount of VAT you can reclaim. 
• The amount of VAT you’re owed from HMRC (if you’re reclaiming VAT on business expenses) 

What are the VAT return deadlines?

Here are the quarterly VAT return deadlines for 2025: 

Under the Making Tax Digital (MTD) regulations set by HMRC, all VAT returns must be filed digitally using MTD-compatible software. 

What are the penalties for late VAT submissions and payments?

Penalties for submitting your VAT return late 

If you submit your VAT return late, HMRC has a penalty system based on points. Each time you’re late, you get a penalty point. But a single point alone won’t lead to an immediate fine. 

However, once you hit a certain number of points—called the penalty threshold—you’ll get a fine of £200. After that, every additional late submission will cost you another £200. 

The number of points you’re allowed before getting fined depends on how often you file your VAT return.

Here’s the penalty point threshold for your accounting period:

• Annual submissions → 2 points 
• Quarterly submissions → 4 points 
• Monthly submissions → 5 points 

Penalties for late VAT payments 

If you miss a VAT payment, HMRC has a separate penalty system that works on percentages rather than fixed fines. The longer you take to pay, the more it costs you.

Here’s how it works: 

• 0-15 days late: no penalty at all if you pay or arrange a payment plan within this time. 
• 16-30 days late: you’ll get a 2% penalty based on what you owed on day 15. 
• 31 days late: you’ll be charged:
  – 2% on what you owed on day 15.
  – Another 2% on what you still owe by day 30.

 So, if you haven’t cleared your balance by this point, you’re already at a 4% penalty.

• Beyond 31 days: from day 31 onwards, you’ll be charged an extra 4% per year, calculated daily, until you pay off the full amount. 

How to do a VAT return

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do a VAT return: 

Step 1. Know your VAT scheme 

Before you start, it’s important to know which VAT scheme your business falls under. HMRC offers different schemes depending on your turnover and how you prefer to manage your VAT: 

• Standard VAT scheme: you submit a VAT return every quarter, reporting VAT on sales and purchases. 
• Flat rate scheme: designed for small businesses, this lets you pay a fixed percentage of your turnover as VAT instead of working out individual transactions. 
• Annual accounting scheme: you file just one return a year but make advance VAT payments throughout. 

Step 2. Get your documents ready

To avoid last-minute scrambling, make sure you have all the documentation you need: 

• Sales invoices (to calculate VAT collected from customers). 
• Purchase invoices (to work out the VAT you can reclaim). 
• Receipts for business expenses. 
• Records of zero-rated or VAT-exempt sales (if applicable). 

Step 3. Work out how much VAT you owe or can reclaim 

Now, it’s time to crunch the numbers. You’ll need to calculate: 

• VAT on sales (output VAT): the total VAT you’ve charged customers. 
• VAT on purchases (input VAT): the VAT you’ve paid on business-related expenses. 

If your output VAT is higher than your input VAT, you’ll need to pay the difference to HMRC. However, if your input VAT is greater than your output VAT, you can claim a refund for the excess amount. 

Step 4. Use Making Tax Digital software 

Since April 2022, all VAT-registered businesses, regardless of turnover, must submit returns using MTD-compliant software.  

Here are some popular MTD-compatible software: 

• Sage 
• Xero 
• Capium 
• QuickBooks 

Make sure the software you choose integrates well with your existing records and gives you a clear breakdown of your VAT return before submission. 

Step 5. Submit your VAT return 

Once you’ve checked everything, it’s time to file your VAT return.  

Here’s how: 

1️. Log in to your HMRC-approved MTD software.
2️. Link it to your HMRC account (if you haven’t already).
3️. Go to the VAT returns section.
4️. Enter your figures (manually or let your software pull them through).
5️. Review everything carefully (remember mistakes can lead to penalties).
6️. Submit your VAT return and save the confirmation for your records. 

Step 6. Pay your VAT or get a refund 

Once your VAT return is submitted, you’ll either need to pay HMRC or wait for a refund. 

• To pay: you can use a direct debit, bank transfer, or debit/credit card. Make sure you pay by the deadline to avoid penalties. 
• To claim a refund: if you’ve paid more VAT than you owe, HMRC will typically process refunds within 10 working days (as long as there are no issues). 

34% increase in VAT claim success with Capture Expense 

Capture Expense helps you stay on top of VAT return deadlines by providing auditable reports that give you a clear record of all your transactions—including VAT returns. Book a demo today to see how it works. 

Worried about getting your VAT payments wrong? You’re not alone. But with the right information, it’s easier than you might think. 

Let’s break down the UK VAT rates, the VAT threshold, and how to calculate exactly what you owe HMRC. 

What are the VAT rates in the UK? 

Here are the current VAT rates in the UK for 2024/2025: 

What goods and services fall under the standard UK VAT rate?

Here’s a list of goods and services that fall under the standard UK VAT rate. For a more comprehensive list, including items that are exempt or outside the scope of VAT, you can visit HMRC. 

What’s the VAT threshold?

The VAT threshold refers to the minimum level of annual turnover a business must reach before it’s required to register for VAT.  

If a business’s taxable turnover exceeds this threshold, it must charge VAT on its sales and may also reclaim VAT on its purchases. 

What’s the VAT threshold for 2025? 

The VAT threshold in the UK for 2025 is £90,000. This has increased from £85,000 in April 2024.

Is the VAT threshold reviewed every year?

Yes, the VAT threshold is reviewed annually in the UK. In the past, it typically increased each year, but there was a notable pause from 2017 to 2024 when it stayed the same.

Here’s how the VAT threshold has changed from 2014 to 2025: 

How to calculate how much VAT you owe

Let’s imagine you’re the proud owner of Glow & Co, a VAT-registered business that sells handmade candles in the UK.  

You’ve had a great month, and now it’s time to figure out how much VAT you owe HMRC. 

Step 1: work out your VAT on sales (output VAT)

This is the VAT you’ve collected from customers.  

Let’s say your total sales for the month were £10,000, and you charge the standard VAT rate of 20%. 

VAT collected = £10,000 × 20% = £2,000 

Step 2: work out your VAT on purchases (input VAT)

You can reclaim VAT on your business expenses.  

This month, you bought wax, wicks, jars, and packaging materials for £2,500, and the VAT included in those costs was 20%. 

VAT paid = £2,500 × 20% = £500 

Step 3: calculate the VAT you owe

To find out how much you need to pay HMRC, subtract your input VAT from your output VAT:

£2,000 (VAT collected) – £500 (VAT paid) = £1,500

This means you owe £1,500 in VAT to HMRC for the month. 

What if you paid more VAT than you collected? 

Let’s say in a quieter month you only made £3,000 in sales (£600 VAT collected) but had £4,000 in business expenses (£800 VAT paid).

£600 (VAT collected) – £800 (VAT paid) = -£200

In this case, HMRC would owe you £200, which you can reclaim as a VAT refund. 

Simplify and automate your business expenses with Capture Expense 

Our sophisticated app automatically applies the correct VAT rate, keeping your records accurate and fully compliant with HMRC—so you never have to worry about miscalculations. Book a personalised demo today to see Capture Expense in action. 

Getting your head around the nuances of travel expenses in Ireland can be tricky. It’s like trying to find your way through Dublin for the first time without Google Maps—confusing, frustrating, and if you’re not careful, it could end up costing you more than it should. 

But don’t worry, if you’re an employer in Ireland looking to reimburse your team for work-related travel, you’re in good hands. 

We’ll outline what qualifies as a travel expense in Ireland, when you can reimburse your employees, and how to report it to Revenue. 

What’s a travel expense in Ireland?

Travel expenses in Ireland refer to the costs incurred by an individual or business for work-related travel. These expenses can include:

• Transport costs (e.g., fuel, mileage for personal vehicle use, public transport fares, taxis, flights) 
• Accommodation (e.g., hotel stays for business trips) 
• Subsistence (e.g., meals and incidental expenses while travelling for work) 
• Tolls and parking fees  

For employees, travel expenses may be reimbursed by employers or claimed as allowable expenses for tax purposes, subject to Revenue’s guidelines.  

Reimbursement may be based on actual costs incurred or standard mileage/subsistence rates set by Revenue. 

When can you reimburse your employees for their travel expenses in Ireland?

You can reimburse your employees for travel expenses when they travel for work and the expense is incurred wholly, exclusively, and necessarily for business. 

This includes covering costs like transport, accommodation, and meals if they have to stay away from their usual workplace. If they use their own car, motorcycle, or bicycle for business travel, you can also compensate them based on mileage rates (see below). 

A quick example 

If one of your sales representatives needs to visit multiple client sites across the country, you can reimburse their train fares, hotel stays, and meals.  

Similarly, if an employee drives their own car to attend a conference on behalf of the company, you can cover their fuel costs based on the approved mileage rate. 

How to calculate the distance of a business trip in Ireland

To work out how far your employees travel for work, you’ll need to use the lower of either: 

• The distance between your employee’s home and the temporary place of work. 
• The distance between your employee’s normal place of work and the temporary place of work. 

A real–world scenario

Let’s say one of your employees (Carly) normally works in Dublin city centre but has to travel to Cork for a meeting. 

• The distance from Carly’s home in Bray to Cork is 250 km. 
• The distance from her normal office in Dublin to Cork is 220 km. 

Since the Dublin to Cork route is shorter, that’s the distance used for her travel calculation. 

The travel and subsistence rates in Ireland for 2025 

Now you know the when and how to reimburse your employees’ travel expenses in Ireland, let’s look at the how much. 

Thankfully, Revenue have set very clear guidelines when it comes to travel and subsistence in Ireland. 

Travel 

As we mentioned above, you can reimburse your employees for using their personal vehicles for business journeys. Don’t forget, this doesn’t include commuting from home to their normal place of work. 

You have the option to either reimburse the actual travel expenses incurred by the employee or provide a fixed mileage allowance per kilometre.  

Here are the civil service mileage rates for 2025. 

Subsistence  

When it comes to reimbursing your employees for subsistence expenses, you have three options: 

• Apply the civil service rates: this is the simplest option. You can reimburse your employees using the official civil service subsistence rates set by Revenue. These rates are pre-approved and tax-free.
  
• Set your own rates: alternatively, you can choose to set your own reimbursement rates, but they must not exceed the civil service rates.
• Reimburse actual expenses: another option is to reimburse your employees for the exact costs they incurred during their trip. 

What you need to know about ERR

Since January 1, 2024, new payment reporting rules, known as Enhanced Reporting Requirements (ERR), have come into effect. Here’s what you need to know: 

These rules, introduced under Section 897C of the Finance Act 2022, are designed to improve transparency in how businesses handle certain expenses. However, they also bring some compliance challenges that you’ll need to be aware of.

What needs to be reported 

You’ll need to report specific details about certain payments made to your employees: 

1. Small benefit exemption: you need to record the date the benefit was given and its value. 
2. Remote working daily allowance: report the total number of days covered, the amount paid, and the payment date. 
3. Travel & subsistence payments: for each payment, record the amount and date paid, under these categories: 

• Travel (both vouched and unvouched) 
• Subsistence (both vouched and unvouched) 
• Site-based employees (including ‘country money’) 
• Emergency travel 
• Eating on-site 

How do you report it? 

You must submit these details to Revenue at the time of payment or even before it’s made.  

Reports should be submitted via the Revenue Online Service (ROS), either manually or through your accounting/ERP software. 

Are you looking for a platform that can handle all your travel expenses in Ireland? 

With just a few taps, you can capture receipts, automate employee reimbursements, and effortlessly manage all your travel expenses in Ireland. Book a demo today to see Capture Expense in action.  

Do you know how to make a subsistence allowance claim? Are you familiar with the day and overnight allowance rates in Ireland? If you’re struggling with the civil service subsistence rates, you’re not alone.  

But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from what a subsistence allowance is and when you can claim it, to the latest civil service subsistence rates for 2025. 

What’s a subsistence allowance in Ireland? 

A subsistence allowance in Ireland refers to a tax-free payment provided to employees to cover the cost of meals, accommodation, and other daily expenses incurred while travelling for work.  

These allowances, set by Revenue, are based on civil service rates and apply to both public and private sector employees. 

Employers use these rates to reimburse employees for business travel expenses without the need for detailed receipts—provided the trip meets Revenue’s qualifying conditions. 

When can you claim subsistence allowance in Ireland?

If you’re an employee in Ireland, you can claim a subsistence allowance when you meet all of the following conditions: 

1. You had to travel away from your usual workplace. So, if you’re just popping to a different desk in the same office, that won’t count!
2. The travel is necessary for your job. It’s not just about grabbing lunch somewhere different—you must be travelling as part of your work duties.
3. You’ve travelled more than 8km from your normal workplace. This means short trips within the local area usually won’t qualify (also, your regular home-to-work commute doesn’t count).
4. You’ve been away for more than 5 hours. Just running an errand or a short meeting outside the office? That won’t be enough. You need to be away for a significant part of your working day.

Are there any exceptions? 

Yes, not all work-related expenses can be reimbursed by your employer. The key rule is that expenses must be wholly, exclusively, and necessarily incurred for your job.  

If an expense has a personal element or isn’t essential for your work duties, it won’t be covered. 

Here are some common examples of expenses that won’t be reimbursed:

• Family travel costs: if your spouse, partner, or children travel with you for work, their costs won’t be reimbursed.
• Parking or traffic fines: if you get a fine for speeding or illegal parking, you’ll have to pay it yourself.
• Hotel extras: charges for things like laundry, minibar snacks, or personal phone calls. 

What to include in your subsistence allowance claim 

Here’s your checklist for a valid subsistence allowance claim. Make sure you provide full details for each trip separately. 

What are the civil service subsistence rates for 2025?

Here are the civil service subsistence rates set by Revenue:  

Accommodation subsistence rates in Ireland

Day allowances

These are Revenue’s domestic day subsistence rates, effective from 29th January 2025:  

To qualify, your assignment must be at least eight kilometres away from both your home and usual workplace. And if you’re claiming both a day and overnight allowance (see below), you’ll need to work at least five hours the next day. 

Overnight allowance 

Here are the civil service overnight rates, effective from 29th January 2025:  

It’s also worth noting that for vouched accommodation in Dublin, the reimbursable amount is up to €205.53 for accommodation, plus €46.17 for meals. 

What about civil service mileage rates in Ireland?

If you didn’t know already, you can be reimbursed for using your personal vehicle for work-related travel. 

Your employer can either cover your actual travel costs or pay you a fixed mileage allowance per kilometre. The great thing is that Revenue’s civil service mileage rates set clear guidelines for this—making the process really straightforward. 

If, however, you’re just after the civil service motoring and bicycle rates for 2025, then look no further:  

Cars (rate per kilometre)

Motorcycles (rate per kilometre)

Bicycles 

Stay on top of Revenue’s civil service subsistence rates

Whether your organisation uses Revenue’s civil service subsistence rates or sets their own, Capture Expense guarantees that everyone will be reimbursed on time, every time—no exceptions, no mistakes. Book a demo today to see just how easy it is to use. 

Revenue is putting more and more effort into helping businesses of all sizes follow their rules and establish good financial practices. However, understanding expense compliance can still be tricky, and the penalties for mistakes can be serious. 

To help you better understand and comply with Revenue’s guidelines, we’ve created this comprehensive guide. Here, you’ll find clear and practical advice on claiming and processing expenses in Ireland, ensuring you stay on the right side of the regulations while maximising your financial efficiency.

Whether you’re a small startup or a large corporation, this guide aims to illuminate the path to seamless expense compliance in Ireland. 

How to make sure your business complies with Revenue 

Many people think Revenue inspectors only care about completed expense claims and receipts, but they actually review your entire travel and expense process.

The 6 key areas Revenue inspectors focus on

1. A clear and enforced policy

Make sure your business has a clear expense policy that all employees understand and follow.

2. Appropriate approval processes

Ensure that the right people are approving expenses at the right levels.

3. Appropriate documentation

Keep detailed records of all receipts and expense forms.

4. Appropriate checks and controls

Implement checks and controls to prevent errors and fraud. Regularly review these controls to ensure they are effective.

5. Tax and VAT compliance

Ensure that all expenses comply with tax and VAT regulations. You need to keep up to date with any changes in these regulations.

6. A robust and secure payment process

Use secure methods for reimbursing employees. Ensure payments are processed accurately and on time.

The VAT rates in Ireland

VAT is a general consumption tax that is charged directly on the sale of goods and services in Ireland.

Here are the rates for 2025:

It’s also worth noting that the supply of some services, such as financial, medical and educational services, are exempt from VAT. 

Who can reclaim VAT?

If you are selling goods or services that are subject to VAT, or you are involved in qualifying activities, you can reclaim VAT.

To do this, you need to submit a VAT 3 return. However, you cannot reclaim VAT on goods or services used for making exempt supplies or for non-business activities.  
 
For costs that relate to both taxable and non-taxable activities, you can only reclaim the VAT portion related to your taxable supplies.  
 
It’s also worth mentioning that you have up to four years to claim a VAT repayment.

What VAT can you not reclaim?

You cannot reclaim VAT on the following costs, even if you are registered for VAT and make only taxable supplies: 

• Food, drink, or personal services for you, your agents, or employees (unless part of a taxable service) 

• Accommodation (unless related to a qualifying conference) 

• Food, drink, accommodation, or entertainment included in advertising costs 

• Entertainment 

• Passenger motor vehicles (except stock or qualifying vehicles) 

• Petrol (unless used as stock-in-trade) 

• Contract work involving non-deductible goods 

• Goods subject to a margin scheme 

• Costs for property used for non-business purposes 

Civil service mileage rates in Ireland

You can reimburse your employees for using their personal vehicles for business journeys. This does not include commuting from home to their normal place of work.

You have the option to either reimburse the actual travel expenses incurred by the employee or provide a fixed mileage allowance per kilometre. 

Here are the new civil service rates for mileage allowance in Ireland for 2025, effective from 1st September 2023. 

Civil service motoring and bicycle rates

Cars (rate per kilometre)

Motor travel rates (from 1 September 2022)

For electric vehicles, mileage claims will follow the rate applicable to engine capacity 1201cc-1500cc.

Reduced motor travel rates per kilometre

Reduced mileage rates apply to work-related journeys that aren’t solely for job performance. Examples include attendance at approved courses or conferences. 

Motorcycles (rate per kilometre)

Motorcycle rates (from 5 March 2009) 

Bicycles

Bicycle rates (from 1 February 2007

If you’re interested in learning more about Civil Service Mileage Rates and how to calculate mileage claims click here.  

The civil service subsistence rates for 2025

Rates for assignments within the State

Overnight allowance

Domestic overnight subsistence rates (from 29th January 2025) 

The overnight allowance applies to assignments lasting up to 24 hours. The assignment must be at least 100 kilometres from your employee’s home and regular workplace. 

The rate category is determined by the duration of the assignment:

• The normal rate applies for up to 14 nights.
• The reduced rate applies for the following 14 nights.
• The detention rate applies for each of the next 28 nights. 

For assignments exceeding 56 nights, your employee must apply to Revenue to confirm that subsistence is still available.

The period of subsistence at any single location is limited to six months. 

Day allowances

Domestic day subsistence rates (from 29th January 2025) 

 The assignment must be more than eight kilometres from your employee’s home and normal workplace. It’s also worth noting that they can only claim both a day and overnight allowance if they work five hours or more the next day. 

Rates for assignments outside the State

Short term assignment 

Subsistence rates for short term assignments 

 These rates can be applied to a single temporary assignment abroad lasting up to six months. 

Long term assignment

A long-term assignment lasts over six months. During the initial month, you can provide subsistence at the overnight rate to help your employee find self-catering accommodation. For the rest of the assignment, you can cover reasonable accommodation costs and 50% of the ten-hour day rate.

If you have remote working expenses

You can make a payment of €3.20 per workday to a remote working employee without deducting:

• Income Tax 
• Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI)
• Universal Social Charge (USC)

This payment is to cover expenses incurred such as broadband, heating and electricity costs. 

And for expenses higher than €3.20 per workday 

Your employee’s daily expenses might go over €3.20, and you can reimburse them for these costs. However, if the amount exceeds €3.20 per workday, you need to deduct tax from it.  
 
Make sure to keep records of all the payments made.

What you need to know about Enhanced Reporting Requirements

Starting January 1, 2024, your finance teams in the Republic of Ireland must adhere to updated payment reporting regulations; known as Enhanced Reporting Requirements (ERR). These regulations enhance transparency in expenditure but present challenges for timely compliance. The new reporting requirements are introduced by Section 897C of the Finance Act 2022.

What needs to be reported?

1. Small benefit exemption: you need to report the date paid and the value of the benefit.

2. Remote working daily allowance: report the total number of days, amount paid, and date paid.

3. Travel and subsistence payments: report the date paid and amount for each payment under the following categories:

• Travel (vouched and unvouched) 

• Subsistence (vouched and unvouched) 

• Site-based employees (including ‘country money’) 

• Emergency travel 

• Eating on site

How to report this

• Payments must be reported to Revenue at the time of payment or in advance.
• Submit reports via the Revenue Online Service (ROS), either manually or using accounting or ERP software.

What you need to know about digital record-keeping

In Ireland, you can go paperless by storing receipts digitally instead of keeping paper copies.

However, you must follow certain requirements to comply with the rules on storing, maintaining, transmitting, reproducing, and communicating records electronically.

One example of these requirements is ensuring the scan quality is high enough for the receipt to be easily readable.

You can find all the necessary requirements in Revenue’s Electronic Storage manual. 

4 easy steps to comply with Revenue

Here’s a very brief overview of what you need to do to make sure your business is fully compliant:

Step 1: designate specific individuals at appropriate levels to approve expenses

• Make sure that each expense is reviewed and authorised by someone with the appropriate level of authority and responsibility within your organisation, thereby maintaining accountability and preventing misuse of funds. 

• Ensure even the highest-ranking employees submit their expenses for approval.
   

Step 2: maintain a traceable audit trail

• Use an expense management system that tracks every step of the process.

• Make sure that every expense is logged and traceable from submission to approval and reimbursement. 

Step 3: keep valid evidence

• Always obtain valid VAT receipts and credit card slips for expenses.

• Attach these receipts to the corresponding expense claims.

Step 4: find an expense management system that fully complies with Revenue’s regulations 

• It is essential to identify an expense management system. like Capture Expense, that ensures complete compliance with all of Revenue’s regulations.
  

By following these guidelines, you can ensure your business meets Revenue’s requirements and is prepared for an inspection. 

The expenses software for total Revenue compliance

Get all the features and functionality you need to keep your employee expenses compliant, in one central platform. Book a demo to see Capture Expense in action. 

Imagine this; you and a handful of your employees are planning a business trip for a few days. 

The schedule is packed with meetings during the day and some fun team-building activities in the evening. 

 While the business side is all set, you’re still unsure about the right travel allowance to provide your employees. 

You’ve probably got a few questions like: What are Revenue’s civil service overnight rates in 2025? How do I reimburse my employees for overnight trips? Are there any exceptions?

If these are some of the questions on your mind—you’ve definitely come to the right place. 

What’s a travel allowance in Ireland? 

A travel allowance in Ireland is a payment made to employees to cover the costs they incur while travelling for work-related purposes.  

This can include reimbursing expenses like accommodation, meals, or other costs when they’re working away from their usual workplace.  

It can also involve mileage payments for using their personal vehicles—like cars, motorcycles, or bicycles—for business travel. 

What are the civil service overnight rates within the State? 

Here are the civil service overnight rates within the State for 2025: 

Standard domestic subsistence rates 

Overnight allowance applies to assignments lasting up to 24 hours and must be at least 100km away from your employee’s home and usual workplace.

The rates depend on the duration of the assignment:

• The normal rate applies for the first 14 nights. 
• The reduced rate covers the following 14 nights. 
• The detention rate applies for the next 28 nights.

If the assignment goes beyond 56 nights, you’ll need to reach out to Revenue to confirm that subsistence can still be paid.  

Keep in mind, the period of subsistence at any single location is limited to six months.  

Vouched accommodation (Dublin only) 

What are the civil service overnight rates outside the State? 

Here are the civil service overnight rates outside the State for 2025:  

For a short-term assignment 

It’s worth noting that these rates can be applied to a single temporary assignment abroad lasting up to six months.  

For a long-term assignment 

In case you didn’t know, a long-term assignment is anything over six months.

During the first month, you can provide subsistence at the overnight rate to help your employees find self-catering accommodation.  

For the rest of the assignment, you can cover reasonable accommodation costs and 50% of the ten-hour day rate. 

How to reimburse your employees for overnight trips in Ireland 

Here’s how you can reimburse your employees for overnight trips in 2025.

You have three options:

• Use the civil service rates: this is by far the easiest option. You can reimburse your employees using the official civil service subsistence rates set by Revenue (see above). These rates are pre-approved and tax-free.
• Set your own rates: if you prefer, you can set your own reimbursement rates—but they must be equal to, or lower than, the civil service rates.
• Reimburse actual costs: you can also pay your employees back for the exact amount they spent on their trip.

Are there any conditions when reimbursing employees’ actual subsistence costs?

Yes, you’ll need to make sure that: 

• The expenses were incurred wholly, exclusively, and necessarily when carrying out the duties of their employment. 
• The costs were repaid on the basis of vouched receipts (such as hotel receipts). 

Please note that if you want to pay more than the civil service rates for overnight trips, you’ll need to get special approval from Revenue. 

Let’s look at some examples

Within the State

One of your employees, Alexis, is traveling from Dublin to Galway for a two-day conference.  

She leaves her home (in Dublin) early on Monday morning, and stays overnight in Galway, before returning late Tuesday evening. 

When Alexis returns, she submits a claim for her overnight travel allowance. Since Galway is more than 100 km from her home and workplace, and her stay lasted more than 24 hours, she qualifies for the civil service overnight allowance.

Using the civil service overnight rates, Alexis can claim the normal rate of €205.53 for her overnight stay.  

Outside the State 

You send David on a temporary assignment to Paris for three months to support an ongoing project. 

Since David’s assignment is abroad, he can claim a subsistence allowance under the civil service rates for overseas trips. Here’s how it works for his three-month stay: 

For the first 30 days of his assignment, David qualifies for 100% of the normal overnight rate. For example, if the rate for Paris is €180 per night, he can claim the full €180 per night for this period. 

For the next 60 days, David qualifies for 75% of the normal overnight rate. Using the same example (€180), he would receive €135 per night during these two months. 

Assuming you reimburse David using the civil service overnight rates, here’s the breakdown:

• First 30 days: €180 x 30 = €5,400 
• Next 60 days: €135 x 60 = €8,100
• Total reimbursement: € 13,500 

Have you met Capture Expense?

Whether you’re using the civil service overnight rates or setting your own rates (within the approved limits, don’t forget), Capture Expense will make sure that all your reimbursements are accurate, timely and in full compliance with Revenue. Book a demo today to see just how easy it is to use.