Completing expenses forms A Guide for students and visitors to UCL

Transcription

1 Completing expenses forms A Guide for students and visitors to UCL Students and people outside UCL (i.e. anyone that is not on the UCL payroll) should complete an Expenses Form. An example of a completed form is provided at the end of this guide. Blank forms are available from the Departmental Intranet or the Department s Procurement Officer. Please note the form should always be submitted electronically. You should then print and sign the form, obtain a signature and Project Number from the authorised signatory and then forward to the Department s Procurement Officer. Please make sure that you read the UCL expenses policy before purchasing anything and before making a claim. The policy is available from: UCL has a stringent expenses policy and anything that you claim must adhere to this policy. UCL can refuse to refund monies if they feel that the purchase was unnecessary. COMPLETING THE EXPENSES FORM 1. Personal information Most fields in this section are self-explanatory. The key things to note are: No. of Claims for this date This should be 1, unless you are submitting more than one expense form in which is it should be 1/2 and 2/2, etc In the Description field either state the name of the event, date and place (e.g. HBV Conference, Oxford, 19th 23rd Sep 2012) or name the type of purchases being made (e.g. workshop materials, materials for experiments, Expenses for March 2013). For payments to bank accounts abroad, please use a Foreign Bank Expense form instead. Blank forms are available from the Departmental Intranet or the Department s Procurement Officer. This guide can also be used to help you complete the Foreign Bank Expense form, however if you have any questions please contact the Department s Procurement Officer.

2 2. Analysis of expenditure section Once you have completed your personal details, go straight to the Analysis of Expenditure section. The key thing to remember when completing this section is: One receipt = one line! The columns are self-explanatory. The Purpose of Expenditure field should be a description of the expense. When travelling, the description must include where and when you ravelled, (e.g. train journey from London Kings Cross St. Pancras to Oxford train station, 18th Sep 2014, or taxi from home (OX14 5HG) to Heathrow airport on 21 st Dec 2014). The Amount Foreign Currency and Rate columns must be completed if you are submitting foreign receipts. When you have foreign receipts print a webpage from the XE Currency converter site showing a foreign amount converted into GBP. Complete the column Amount Foreign Currency and Amount (in GBP) for every foreign receipt. If you have more than 8 receipts then please create a separate spreadsheet that includes all additional lines. Total amount on the Expense Form should be inclusive of all lines. 3. Description and amount columns After you have completed the Analysis of Expenditure sections go back to the middle section of the Expenses form and complete the Description and Amount columns. Unlike the Analysis of Expenditure section, you can combine similar expenditure onto one line (e.g. all the travel expenses on one line, all the consumables expenses on another line, all accommodation expenses on the third line, etc.)

3 However, different project codes cannot be combined on a line. So if different accounts are paying different parts of your expenditure even if it is for a similar activity or purchase you must break this down into separate lines. The authorise signatory can advise you on this. Completion of the Project Code/ Task/ Award collumns are completed by the supervisor/ grant or general ledger account holder who will then sign off the form (the authorised signatory). Until this is done he form cannot be submitted. If you are unsure who needs to sign your expenses form please contact the Department s Procurement Officer for advice. 4. Receipts You should send a paper copy of your claim to the Departmental Office marked for the attention of the Procurement Officer with all the ORIGINAL receipts and other documents attached. Please note the following: Take copies of all receipts for your own records. Original VAT receipts must accompany all claims. All receipts must include details of the goods or services purchased. UCL will not accept statements, delivery/ packing notes, order acknowledgements, etc, as receipts. If these are submitted the expenses form will be rejected. Credit card slips or credit card / bank statements will not be accepted as evidence of business expenditure. If these are submitted the expenses form will be rejected. The Procurement Officer will check the expenses form and then forward to Accounts Payable. If there are no queries, payment should be made within three weeks. If you have requested to be paid by cheque this will be sent to the address provided on the expenses form. If you have a question about your expenses claim you should contact the Department s Procurement Officer in the first instance.

4 5. What you can and cannot claim for a quick guide Please note that the information below should be read in conjunction with the full UCL expenses policy. The UCL policy is the definitive version and is available from: Things you cannot claim for Equipment Fines Gifts Insurance Internet Provision Mobile Phone Contracts/ Hardware Personal Expenditure Stationery Transport All equipment should be purchase directly by UCL via a Purchase Order (PO) and paid directly by UCL on invoice via Accounts Payable. UCL does not pay any fines or fixed penalties, nor any administration fee charged by third parties for recovering fines. Any gifts for staff should be purchased using personal funds, not from departmental budgets or grants/ contracts. All insurance should be obtained from the Insurance section of UCL Finance. You cannot claim for your home internet connection. You can only claim for the cost of business calls, not your monthly contract charge. You must provide an itemised bill with the relevant calls highlighted as a receipt. Personal incidental costs while away on UCL business cannot be claimed. These include, although not exclusively, newspapers, bar drinks, mini bar, hotel video and health and fitness facilities. All stationary must be purchased via UCL s approved supplier, via a Purchase Order (PO) and paid directly by UCL on invoice via Accounts Payable. If you are using a London Transport Oyster card for business journeys, enter the details of each individual journey, being specific about locations, date/times and purpose of journey. You can only claim for the relevant journey, not the whole top-up. Limits on certain expenses Accommodation Hotels in London Hotels outside London Hotels overseas Meals Breakfast- UK The cost of a hotel in London should not exceed 150 +VAT (room only) The cost of a hotel outside London should not exceed VAT (room only) When staying in a hotel overseas, the outside of London rate should be used as a general guide. If a breakfast is not included in your room rate you can claim the cost, which should be receipted and claimed as part of be claimed for breakfast.

5 Lunch- UK Evening meal- UK Entertaining/ Hospitality the overnight stay to a maximum of 10 including VAT and If you are working away from your normal place of work, you may claim lunch up to 7 including VAT and service, You can claim the cost of an evening meal (which can include up to two glasses of wine or equivalent) which should be receipted and claimed as part of the overnight stay to a maximum of 20 including VAT and be claimed for lunch. be claimed for dinner. Entertaining/ Hospitality for UCL Staff and Students Entertaining/ Hospitality for anyone who isn t a UCL staff or student The cost should not exceed 20 per head including VAT and If you have a meal together with other UCL staff members the most senior person should pay and submit the expense claim. In such a case no one other than the most senior person should claim. Please ensure a record of all the attendees and the names of the UCL Departments they belong to are noted and submitted with your claim- this is an HMRC requirement. The cost should be appropriate and not exceed 40 per head including alcohol, VAT and Please ensure a record of all the attendees and the names of the UCL Departments they belong to are noted and submitted with your claim- this is an HMRC requirement. All expenditure should be reasonable and appropriate. Please ensure a record of all the attendees and the name of the organisations they belong to are noted and submitted with your claim- this is an HMRC requirement. All expenditure should be reasonable and appropriate.