GUIDANCE NOTES FOR STAFF AND MANAGERS ON EXCESS TRAVEL PAYMENTS

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1 GUIDANCE NOTES FOR STAFF AND MANAGERS ON EXCESS TRAVEL PAYMENTS Introduction This guidance document provides details for managers and staff on the payment of excess mileage from home to work where employees have been required to change their work base by the PCT. This guidance outlines when an employee is eligible to claim this excess mileage, the procedure for making a claim and also covers the process to follow when an employee (in receipt of excess travel payments) travels to other locations as part of their daily work Excess Travel as defined in paragraph of the Agenda for Change NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook. Change of Base of Work Resulting From Amalgamation of NHS Employers or From Acceptance of Another Post in Consequence of Redundancy. Employees who are required to change their base of work as a result of a merger of NHS employers or their acceptance of another post as an alternative to redundancy may be reimbursed their extra daily travelling expenses for a period of 4 years from the date of transfer. The excess shall be calculated on the basis of the bus fares or standard rail travel or if the employee travels by private motor vehicle on the basis on the public mileage rate. Excess travel costs are claimed at the public transport mileage rate of 24 pence per mile. (This will be taxable) Excess Mileage Agreement Before claiming excess travel costs an HR30 Excess Mileage Agreement must be completed and signed off by an employee s line manager. This form should be sent to the Workforce Information Team and a copy kept on the employee s file for reference. The following website is useful for calculating distances between NHS premises. What is claimed? The difference in mileage between the journeys from home to the old base and home to the new base is the excess mileage. For example: to old work base 15 miles to new work base 20 miles Excess mileage = 5 miles (single journey) This employee can claim 10 miles per day at 24 pence per mile for a period of 4 years. For How Long? 1

2 An employee to whom excess travel applies is entitled to claim for four years from the date of transfer to the new base. Change of Post Should the employee subsequently apply for a new post within the same location they keep their original entitlement to claim excess travel costs. From the date the employee takes up a new post, they will then be entitled to the remaining period of the four years to claim any excess mileage. Change of Base Should the employee apply for a new post within a different location they keep their entitlement to claim excess travel costs but these cannot exceed the original mileage amount. For example: An employee moves their base from Thirsk to Harrogate and incurs an excess mileage of 12 miles (single journey). They stay in this post for 2 years and they then apply for a post in York which is further still from their home. This employee can continue to claim the 24 miles return journey excess mileage but not the difference between the journey from Thirsk to Harrogate and Thirsk to York. They can claim for the remaining two years of the entitlement period. Move of home address Employees must notify their line manager of any change to their home address and excess mileage will be recalculated accordingly. If an employee who is claiming excess mileage moves their home address during the four year claim period, they are not entitled to any additional excess mileage as a result of this move of home address. If the move of home results in a lesser excess mileage, the amount of excess mileage to be claimed will be recalculated accordingly and the lesser excess mileage paid. Staff travelling to other locations as part of their role There may be some occasions where it is more practical for the individual to travel from home rather than their work base as this will be the shorter distance. The maximum travel claim that can be made is either calculated from the work base, plus excess miles (return) or actual mileage travelled, whichever is the shortest. It should be noted here that the official mileage is calculated from the new work location rather than the old work location. Temporary Transfer Paragraph of the Agenda for Change NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook states: Employees who are required by their employer to carry out temporary duties at a place other than their permanent place of employment and who travel daily to their temporary headquarters whilst continuing to live near their permanent headquarters, may be reimbursed their excess travelling expenses in accordance with locally determined provisions for expenses incurred in connection with removals. 2

3 Example 1 Excess miles at 5 miles for a single journey in this example BASE VENUE 1 35 miles 60 miles HOME venue 1 60 miles x 2 = 120 miles travelled Official mileage from base to venue 1 is 35 miles return (70 miles) plus 10 miles excess = 80 miles Maximum amount that can be claimed is therefore 80 miles (70 miles at standard or regular user rate and 10 miles at excess travel rate). See note below for lease car users Venue = 120 miles 5 Base 35 Venue 35 Base 5 = 80 miles 3

4 Example 2 Excess miles at 5 miles for a single journey in this example BASE 30 miles 15 miles HOME VENUE 2 venue 2 Base = 45 miles (home to venue 15 miles and venue to base 30 miles) plus single journey 5 miles excess. Official mileage from base to venue 2 is 30 miles return (60 miles) plus 10 miles excess = 70 miles. Maximum amount that can be claimed is therefore 50 miles which is 45 miles at standard or regular user rate plus 5 miles single journey excess. See note below for lease car users. 15 Venue 2 30 Base 5 = 50 = 50 miles 5 Base 3 30 Venue 2 30 Base 5 = 70 miles 4

5 Lease Cars The maximum reimbursement for lease car users including claims for excess mileage is at the lease car rate. Additional Costs Please note that there is no reimbursement for additional costs e.g. car parking at new base. Principles of Excess Travel In defining the method for claiming excess travel the following principles should apply: Excess travel is the difference between home to old and new work base. Official mileage must be calculated in relation to new base, not the old base. Travel expenses is not an income, it is a reimbursement of expenses. Managers are advised to monitor the period of excess travel claims and ensure that copies of the appropriate forms to payroll are on personal files. Any queries relating to excess mileage entitlements or the procedure for claiming mileage should be directed to your Human Resources Department. June 2010 (Updated February 2012-amended mileage rate) 5