Non-business expenses

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by a Tolley Employment Tax expert
Employment Tax
Guidance

Non-business expenses

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
Produced by a Tolley Employment Tax expert
Employment Tax
Guidance
imgtext

Introduction

In order for an expense to be tax deductible, it must be incurred because of an employee’s employment. Any non-business related expense is, therefore, not relievable except in some very particular circumstances.

This guidance note deals with three separate issues. The first is where an expense has both a business and private element. In this case some, or indeed all, of the expense may be allowable. The second case is where an expense must be treated as a non-business expense and is not deductible for tax purposes. The third is expenditure which appears on principles to be non-business yet qualifies as non-taxable, usually due to statutory provision or HMRC concession.

Dual purposes

In order to claim a deduction for tax purposes, the expenditure must be incurred ‘wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of the duties of the employment’. This is discussed in the Expenses ― general rule guidance note. If an expense is not incurred for these reasons then it is disallowed.

However, despite the strictness of this test, it is understood that there are

Continue reading the full document
To gain access to additional expert tax guidance, workflow tools, generative tax AI, and tax research, register for a free trial of Tolley+™
TAKE A FREE TRIAL NOW
Powered by Tolley+™
  • 10 Nov 2025 10:50

Home/ Tolley Tax Guidance/ Employment Tax / Paying expenses to employees

Popular Articles

Owner-Managed Businesses

Definition of a close company

Definition of a close companyThe detailed definition of a close company is set out below, but in summary the rules are targeted at those companies where the owners can manipulate the activities of the company to influence their own tax position. Therefore, broadly speaking, in most cases an

14 Jul 2020 11:24 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more
Employment Tax

Loans written off

Loans written offCompanies sometimes provide directors, employees or shareholders with low interest or interest-free loans either as part of the reward package or on special occasions to help the individual meet significant expenditure. The employment income implications of these loans are discussed

14 Jul 2020 12:11 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more
Corporation Tax

Research and development (R&D) relief ― overview

Research and development (R&D) relief ― overviewThis guidance note provides an overview of the research and development (R&D) tax reliefs for companies.See the Research and development tax relief summary diagram which summarises the R&D tax relief.See also Simon’s Taxes D1.401.For a factsheet which

14 Jul 2020 12:22 | Produced by Tolley in association with Will Sweeney Read more Read more