Flexible benefits schemes ― an overview

Produced by Tolley in association with Robert Woodward
Employment Tax
Guidance

Flexible benefits schemes ― an overview

Produced by Tolley in association with Robert Woodward
Employment Tax
Guidance
imgtext

An introduction to flex schemes

A flexible benefits scheme allows an employee some degree of choice in how their remuneration package is structured. The terms ‘salary sacrifice scheme’ and ‘flex scheme’ are often interchangeable, because they usually refer to the same thing. The main difference, if there is one, is that ‘salary sacrifice’ may refer to a degree of employee choice given on a single employment benefit. A flex scheme on the other hand often applies choice to a number of different employment benefits at the same time, therefore the considerations on implementation are more numerous.

This document sets out the basics of how a flex scheme might work, alongside the usual steps involved when implementing a successful scheme. A number of additional guidance documents then provide further assistance on the various practical steps and considerations, as listed below:

DescriptionGuidance notes
Preliminary work around feasibility prior to implementing a flex schemeFeasibility study for a flexible benefits scheme
Employee car or company car, matters to considerOwn car v company car
Rules

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+™
Robert Woodward
Robert Woodward linkedinicon

Employment Tax Manager at Frank Hirth plc


Robert is an expert in UK employment tax matters for employers with UK based employees, including UK employees working overseas, and overseas employees coming to the UK. He has extensive experience of advising clients with regards to PAYE matters, employee benefits and social security as well as employment related payments outside the payroll functions such as termination settlements and payments to consultants and other non-payroll labour.After graduating in Politics and Law from the University of Southampton, Robert started his tax career at HMRC as an employer compliance officer undertaking enquiries into employers' expenses and benefits systems before moving into a large international practice and then into the Big 4. Here he assisted with tax investigations, flexible benefits planning, employment tax compliance and international social security.Robert has presented to various audiences and has had a number of articles published in various magazines on employment tax matters.Robert is a fully qualified member of both the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CTA).

Powered by Tolley+

Popular Articles

SEIS and EIS ― overview

SEIS and EIS ― overviewThe seed enterprise investment scheme (SEIS) and enterprise investment scheme (EIS) are very similar schemes which offer substantial tax incentives to investors in companies which qualify. The tax incentives for SEIS and EIS investments are intended to encourage investment in

14 Jul 2020 13:31 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more

Married couple’s allowance

Married couple’s allowanceThe married couple’s allowance (MCA) is only available if one of the two spouses or civil partners was born before 6 April 1935. This means that one member of the couple must be at least 89 years old on 5 April 2024 to qualify for an allowance in the 2023/24 tax year.There

14 Jul 2020 12:13 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more

Ministers of religion

Ministers of religionMost ministers of religion or members of the clergy are either office-holders or employees and so their earnings are taxable under ITEPA 2003 as employment income and are subject to Class 1 National Insurance.For the purposes of the tax system, a minister does not have to belong

14 Jul 2020 12:14 | Produced by Tolley Read more Read more