The policy provides guidance on the travelling and subsistence allowances claimable by officers in the performance of their duties

Transcription

1 Travelling & Subsistence Policy Purpose of Policy The policy provides guidance on the travelling and subsistence allowances claimable by officers in the performance of their duties Policy Statement Libraries NI will re-imburse officers for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the principles and conditions set out in this scheme. Authority This policy is owned by Terry Heron, Director of Business Support. Procedures Financial Memorandum Management Statement

2 Libraries NI Travelling and Subsistence Allowances Scheme This scheme applies to all officers claiming the above allowances in the performance of their official duties. 1. Basic Principles The Provisions of NJC Conditions of Service apply and may be summarised as follows. Travelling Allowances i. Travelling expenses necessarily incurred by officers in the performance of their official duties will be reimbursed after authorisation. Note: It is a basic principle that mileage claimed should never be greater than mileage actually incurred. i The current mileage rates and lump sum allowances are listed in Appendix A and are revised from time to time in accordance with NJC agreements. Designated Essential Users are required to meet the conditions set out in Appendix B. Officers in receipt of travelling allowances as Casual Users are required to meet the conditions as set out in Appendix C. Day Subsistence Allowances Subsistence allowances will be payable to officers who are prevented by their official duties from taking a meal at their home, administrative centre or establishment where they normally take their meals, and thereby incur additional expenditure. Where an employee is scheduled in advance to cover at another branch or office where similar facilities are available as in their base, it is anticipated that no additional expenditure is required, and therefore no day subsistence will be payable. Where cover is provided at short notice and additional expenditure is incurred, subsistence may be claimed. Overnight Provision Night subsistence allowances at Civil Service rates will be paid up to the stated maximum is respect of overnight absences covering 24 hours. Where night subsistence is claimed, receipts must be provided in all cases. Please note there are discounted hotel rates and special allowance payable when staying with friends/relatives. Day subsistence allowances will be paid in respect of any excess hours and NJC conditions will apply.

3 Note: It is a basic principle that claims for subsistence should only be made for the actual expenditure incurred up to the maximum agreed allowance. 2. General Conditions i. For the purpose of the payment of travelling and subsistence allowances each officer has a designated administrative centre (base(s)). Claims should be made out personally by the officer. i It is the duty of the officer making the claim to secure approval in advance from the certifying officer for all journeys to be undertaken. The certifying officer must satisfy himself/herself that the journeys are necessary and that they are planned so as to make the most economical and effective use of the officer s time. It should be deemed that each journey is necessary and the business could not be dealt with by telephone, correspondence or undertaken within a reasonable time as part of another journey. v. Officers must maintain an official record of their journeys, showing full particulars of and reason for each, including the names of official passengers carried. vi. v vi ix. Normally mileage will be measured from the administrative centre by the shortest route. Certain exceptions are dealt with in paragraph 4. To ensure value for money, officers are required to share cars where appropriate. Before travelling they should take all reasonable steps to ensure journeys are synchronised. Mileage incurred travelling to or from a catering establishment for the purposes of having a meal cannot be claimed. It is extremely important that an officer using a motor car on LNI business should thoroughly examine his/her car insurance policy to ensure that he/she is adequately covered. If an officer is in doubt he/she should immediately consult the Insurance Company or Broker concerned. 3. Official Journeys Which Originate From and/or Terminate At Home i. If at the beginning of the day an officer travels directly from home to a site before proceeding to his/her base, the mileage claimed should be the distance from home to site to base, or base to site to base, whichever is shorter. In addition, if an officer travels to another site or sites before proceeding to his/her base, all mileage from the first site can be claimed. If at the end of the day an officer travels directly from a site to his/her home the officer can claim the mileage from site to home provided that this does not exceed the mileage which would have been incurred had the officer returned to his/her base(s).

4 i If an officer travels from home to site to home, the mileage claimed should be home to site to home or base(s) to site to base(s), whichever is the shorter. If an officer travels from home outside normal officer hours, he/she may claim the actual mileage travelled by the shortest route. 4. Day Subsistence Allowances i. The maximum subsistence allowances claimable are as set out in Appendix A and are revised in accordance with NJC agreements. The aim of the subsistence allowance is to reimburse officers who incur additional expenditure as a result of their absence from their administrative centre (base) on official LNI business. Details of expenditure must be stated on the claim form. i Officers visiting libraries at or immediately prior to lunch-time should use the libraries kitchen facility if one is available. No subsistence allowance is payable if the journey is within a five mile radius of base or home or if the length of absence is less than 5 hours. v. LNI will require receipts to be provided to substantiate claims. vi. No subsistence allowance are payable to officers who have meals allowances included in their salaries, i.e. mobile library staff who are in receipt of Mobility Allowance. 5. Claim Frequency Claims for travelling and subsistence should be made monthly. 6. Approval of Claims In approving claims, officers must: i. Be aware of their responsibility for the effective and efficient use of resources Check that each claim has been made in accordance with this scheme i Satisfy them selves that each journey was necessary and that the mileage claimed is reasonable Ensure that sharing arrangements were made where possible v. satisfy themselves that the journey and length of absence over a lunchtime is necessary. vi. For paper-based claims, ensure that the unused portion is ruled off prior to certification. v For paper based claims, ensure that approved claims are sent directly to admin/finance for payment, and not returned to the claimant.

5 7. Claims Processing in LNI Travel and subsistence will be processed using a web-based system for completion and approval of claims. Approved claims will be paid via payroll, and be subject to tax and NIC in accordance with prevailing HMRC rules. Approved claims received in payroll before the payroll cut-off date will normally be processed for payment that month. Claims received after that date will be paid the following month. 8. Conclusion LNI officers should practice integrity in all their dealings involving their use of time and claims against the public purse. Officers who are found to have wittingly made claims which are not in accordance with the above principles and conditions will be considered to have committed an act of serious misconduct and will be subject to disciplinary action which could lead to dismissal.