What is benefit in kind tax and how quickly will it be applied to my pay?

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1 FAQ S Can anyone apply for a salary sacrifice lease car? You must be a permanent employee of the Trust; Salary must be above the minimum wage after all salary sacrifices are taken into account (currently 12,773 per annum). So for a salary sacrifice of 4,000 per annum, the employee must earn 16,773 or more basic salary (including unsocial, but not including overtime) to be eligible; One lease car per employee; Twenty one or over; The Trust reserves the right to decline any application. How long is the salary sacrifice lease car scheme open for? The salary sacrifice scheme will be open from the end of May 2015 and there are no current plans by the Trust to close the scheme. This is a different scheme from both the computer and cycle schemes which are only open for a short period of time each year. What is salary sacrifice? A salary sacrifice happens when an employee gives up the right to part of the cash remuneration due under his or her contract of employment. Usually, the sacrifice is made in return for the employer's agreement to provide the employee with some form of non-cash benefit i.e. a lease car. The sacrifice is achieved by varying the employee's terms and conditions of employment relating to remuneration. For example, an employee's current contract provides for cash remuneration of 30,000 a year with no benefits. The employee agrees with the employer that for the future the employee will be paid cash remuneration of a year and the use of a fully maintained lease car. What is benefit in kind tax and how quickly will it be applied to my pay? When a company car is made available for the private use of an employee a 'benefit in kind' value is calculated in relation to the car. The 'benefit in kind' is calculated using a formula relating to the % of CO2 emissions of the vehicle and the manufacturer s list price. The benefit in kind amount will be recovered by HMRC via a change in your tax code. The necessary information will be sent to HMRC upon delivery of your car; however, HMRC may take a period of time to adjust your tax code. For further information on benefit in kind tax please visit What about my pension arrangements? The fact that your contractual pay is being reduced means that your level of pension contribution will be reduced too, thus resulting in an increase in your take home pay (so the pension will be based on the revised new lower rate of gross pay). The new NHS Pension Scheme from 31 March 2015 is a Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme and your pension is based on your pensionable pay right across your NHS career. This new basis of calculation for final pension entitlement means that any salary sacrifice that exists during membership of the new CARE NHS Pension Scheme will lower your pensionable earnings each year thereby affecting your final pension entitlement. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you obtain advice to understand the effect that any salary sacrifice arrangement will have on your own specific pension entitlement before entering into the Car Lease Scheme. Advice can be sought from NHS Pensions on For example, if an employee earns 30,000 per year and leases a car for 4,000

2 then the estimated pension (for guidance only) under the proposed new pension scheme for someone working 40 years and no pay rise (to make the example simpler):- Pensionable salary 30,000 So with no salary sacrifice for lease car scheme 30,000 x 40/54 = 22,222 Salary sacrifice 4,000 for a lease car for three years:- 30,000 x 37/54 = 20,556 26,000 ( 30,000-4,000) x 3/54 = 1,444 22,000 Reduction in yearly pension when you retire 222 per year How long is the lease car agreement? The agreement will last for the period of the lease car (usually 3 years). What make and model of car can I lease? You can lease most make and models of car. What is included in the lease car agreement? The lease car agreement includes:- All servicing; Repairs; Road fund licence; Insurance costs; Breakdown cover. How many miles can I do in the car? All quotes are tailored to the needs of the individual, and calculated on the amount of miles that you do. What happens if I exceed my contracted mileage? At quotation stage you stipulate the number of miles that you would like to do in the car on an annual basis and the quote will be tailored to your needs. If at the end of the leasing period the actual annual mileage (pro rata) exceeds the agreed mileage (pro rata) over the course of the lease, the employee will be liable to an additional charge based on a cost per additional mile. The excess mileage (pro rata) charge rate depends on the specific car but is likely to be around 7p per mile (plus VAT). If at the end of the leasing period, the average annual mileage (pro rata) is less than the agreed annual mileage (pro rata), the employee will not be eligible for a refund. What mileage rate will I be able to claim for business miles? If required, you will be expected to use your lease car for business miles and you will be paid the reserve rate for all mileage (currently 28p per mile) for all miles up to 3,500 miles (annual mileage) and then 20p for any excess miles above 3,500 miles. Who can drive the car? You can insure up to 5 named drivers on the vehicle. All named drivers must be aged 21 or over.

3 Who do I contact if I have an accident? In the event of an accident, contact our 24/7 accident helpline number. What happens to my monthly payments if I have one or more accidents? The employee s monthly payment will not change. However, their insurance excess (should they have a further accident) may increase in line with the points table below: NHS Fleet Solutions excess rates depend on individual circumstances such as age, convictions and previous fault accidents. Detailed below is the system our insurance company use that determines the excess charge for which the driver will be eligible. For all drivers under the age of 23, our points system increases by 50%. NHS Fleet Solutions standard excess rate is 250; however the standard rate does change for novice and young drivers. Young Drivers & Novice Drivers Standard excess Any driver under the age of Any driver over 25 but has had full licence less than 1 year 400 Points Excess 0-2 Standard excess rate 3-4 Standard excess plus Standard excess plus Standard excess plus Standard excess plus 600 and Driver training 12+ Referral to insurance company Conviction Codes Points CU10-60, LC20-50, MS10-40&60-90, MW10, PC10-30, SP10-60, TS CU80, CD AC10-30, BA10-30, IN10, MS50, TT99, XX99 8 DR10-90, UT10-50, CD40-71, DD Accidents Points 1 fault accident in 3 years 1 2 fault accidents in 3 years 3 3 fault accidents in 3 years 8 4 or more fault accidents in 3 years 10 What happens to my no claims? NHS Fleet Solutions can provide a letter of no claims for the period that you have had the lease car. What happens at the end of the 3 years? At the end of the lease you have the option to renew and get a brand new car, or hand the car back and leave the scheme. There is also an option to purchase the car. If you are interested in purchasing the vehicle, NHS Fleet Solutions will request a price on your behalf from the Leasing Company. The purchase price will be calculated based on the number of miles on the car and the current market value of the vehicle in the month that it is purchased.

4 What happens if the employee leaves the Trust? If the employee leaves the Trust whilst they have a salary sacrifice lease car the following amounts will be deducted from the employee final salary:- 5 months payments in year 1 3 months payments in year 2 1 month s payment in year 3 This will be deducted from the employee s final salary. In the event that your employment ceases before the end of the lease, then any termination charges (as set out in the booklet Car Lease Scheme ) will be recoverable from your net pay and the car must be returned before you leave employment of the organisation. Can I put a cherished plate on the car? You are able to put a cherished plate (private registration plate) on the vehicle. The leasing company will allow this, however you will be required to pay the leasing company an administration fee as part of the process. Can I take my lease car abroad? You are allowed to take your lease car abroad. You will require an Insurance Certificate, (from NHS Fleet Solutions) and you will also be required to contact your leasing company to see if any further insurance cover needs to be taken out. How many quotes can I ask for? For quotes you can request unlimited instant quotes. This process can be repeated as many times as you require (within reason). You will need to register as a.. employee on the website using VPD number.. For how long is a lease car quotation valid for? The lease car quotation is valid for 21 days, however if the paperwork reaches us after the cut off we will contact the leasing companies and try to match the price quoted. When do deductions commence from the employee? Deductions commence the month following delivery of the car. Am I notified each year with regard to excess annual mileage compared to the contracted mileage? The employee is not notified each year regarding the mileage, but the employees can contact NHS Fleet Solutions after the first year of the lease and they will increase the contracted mileage. If the employee does not increase their mileage and the car is returned with excess mileage then the NHS Fleet Solutions will invoice the employee for the excess mileage.

5 Is the vehicle collected by or delivered to the employee? The car will be delivered to the employee from the supplying dealer. What is the average lead time for delivery of the lease car? The average lead time is weeks, but some car models can be delivered more quickly than others. However, we do order cars in batches so we are able to offer popular car models for immediate delivery. How much notice is given to the employee for when the lease car agreement is expiring? NHS Fleet Solutions send an to the employee six months before the end of their lease. What are the consequences if the vehicle is not returned by the agreed date? The salary deductions will continue until we notify Payroll. Ultimately the leasing company may demand the car back. What is the process for when the lease car is returned damaged at the end of the lease? The employee is liable for any damage on the car when the lease expires. The employee will be invoiced for any damage.