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Travel, Subsistence and Expenses Policy and Guidelines – Staff

Last updated: 25 January 2022

Table of Contents

General principles

Travel

Meals, Meetings and Entertainment

Telecommunications

IT equipment

Fees and Subscriptions

Gifts and Vouchers

Relocation Expenses

Roles & Responsibilities of Claimants and Budget Holders

Claimants

Budget Holders

Responsibilities of the Finance Team

Insurance Responsibilities – All Staff

Major Cities

General principles

This policy sets out the rules and procedures associated with incurring and reclaiming travel, subsistence and other expenditure whilst engaged on University business and forms part of the University Financial Regulations. This Policy applies to all staff. The rules are mandatory and can only be deviated from if exceptional business circumstances dictate alternative treatment. In such cases, this will need to be agreed by the budget holder and Finance & Planning prior to the expense being incurred.

The majority of purchases should be made using the Agresso finance system with direct payment to the supplier rather than an individual purchasing the goods and services themselves and then claiming for reimbursement of expenses.

Senior Staff

Senior staff are encouraged to consider whether claims for low value items, i.e. items under £5, particularly those relating to items of personal convenience such as hot drinks etc, are essential. This is due to the administration costs of processing the claim and the requirement to be mindful of the appropriate use of public funds

Value for Money

Employees must exercise sensible judgment in determining the most cost-effective and the most efficient means of carrying out the University’s business. This includes considering public transport, hire cars and car sharing when travelling on official business. Employees are encouraged to use conference call and video conference facilities for meetings in order to avoid travelling unnecessarily.

Receipts

Original receipts are required for all reimbursed expenditure unless there is a genuine reason that such documentation is not available. In addition, the receipts and vouchers should detail the goods purchased and evidence payment having been made. Expenses claim submissions which are incomplete, illegible, do not have receipts attached, or are not submitted on Agresso Expenses or on the current form (for paper-based submissions) will be returned to the claimant, which may delay payment.

Subsistence Allowances

The University does not have a fixed daily subsistence rate. Claims for expenses incurred whilst travelling on University business should be on the basis of actual costs incurred and be in line with the policy.

Cash Advances

Requests for advances for expenses that may be incurred on overseas travel must be submitted at least 10 working days prior to departure. All requests for advances must be made on an Expenditure Request Form (https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Pages/Forms.aspx) and authorised by the relevant budget holder. Advances will be paid into the same bank account as the employee’s salary payments.

Submitting Expense Claims

Staff should submit expense claims via Agresso Expenses.

Student and non-employees should complete an expense claim form. Please use the link to access and complete the expense claim. https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Pages/Forms.aspx

Digital Signature (for paper submissions only)

Claim forms signed by Digital Certificate ID signature using the approved University digital signature solution will be accepted. Photocopied or scanned signatures will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances e.g. where the original claim form has been misplaced.

Further Review

These arrangements will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they meet the evolving needs of the University, continue to offer appropriate rates to ensure costs incurred by employees are properly reimbursed and take account of relevant tax legislation rules for the reimbursement of expenses

Expense Categories

Travel

Detailed guidance is set out below. In addition, please note the following:

For business journey, the following information is required:

The University will not meet the cost of any persons connected to a University employee accompanying the individual on business related travel. Subsistence claims must exclude any purchases relating to the claimant’s partner.

An employee cannot claim any additional travel costs, subsistence or other expenses for days taken as holiday linked to a business trip. In such instances the University will reimburse the return flight home providing the cost of such is no more than it would have been had the individual returned home immediately following the conference/business meeting.

For costs and expenses incurred regarding overseas trips and conferences, it must be clearly demonstrated that attendance is required by the individual(s) in order to carry out their duties of employment. Attendance should be authorised in advance by the budget holder.

Claimants will be reimbursed for the actual travel and other incidental expenses incurred in the performance of their duties of employment and should not gain or lose financially in doing so e.g. promotional incentives to travel with certain suppliers, air mile schemes etc.

Note that the mode of transport should be the most cost effective and if it is cheaper, travel reservations should be made as far as possible in advance using the University’s purchase card.

Using a University of Gloucestershire approved travel agent is recommended but not compulsory for staff-only business travel. Where staff are organising a field trip with students then the Field Trip Policy must be used: https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/registry/AS/Pages/default.aspx

CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Car mileageUp to 10,000 miles per annumYes45p per mileFor the first 10,000 miles of tax year (6 April to 5 April in the following year) in accordance with HMRC approved rates.  Claimants should keep a clear record of mileage travelled in the year as claims received without this information will be returned.   The miles claimed should be checked against the www.theaa.com website for reasonableness. Miles travelled can be rounded to the nearest whole mile.
 Additional miles over 10,000Yes25p per mileAfter first 10,000 miles.
 Home to workNo In exceptional circumstances payment may be allowable if the University campus is a temporary workplace or duties of employment require employees to be on call, e.g. over the weekend. Such payments may give rise to a tax liability.   Note that where an individual is travelling on University business and has elected to go straight there from home, then the lesser of the cost of the journey from home to the meeting venue or from University premises to the meeting venue will be reimbursed.
 Fuel costsNo Individual receipts for fuel costs are not an allowable expense as this is covered by the use of mileage rates detailed above. Please see below for fuel costs relating to hire cars.
Passenger Payment Yes5p per mile per passengerIf another employee travels as a passenger on a business journey an additional amount can be claimed for each passenger travelling.
Motor cycle Yes24p per mile 
CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Cycle Yes20p per mileThis applies to off-site business journeys only. Claims will not be accepted for inter-site cycle travel.
Car/minibus rentalHire chargeYes/No All UK car hire arrangements should be made with Enterprise Car Hire. Bookings should be made using the following link https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Pages/e-Marketplace.aspx   Minibuses should be hired through Blink Van Rental   The driver must be an approved University of Gloucestershire driver – see the motor insurance guidelines for details: https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Pages/insurance%20Guidel ines.aspx   The number of business miles travelled in a hire car needs to be recorded on the expense claim form.
 Fuel costs (hire cars only)Yes Fuel receipts must be obtained and included in any travel expense reimbursement claim in respect of the business miles travelled using the hire car. The number of business miles travelled in a hire car needs to be recorded on the expense claim form.   Fuel costs are reimbursed on production of fuel receipts. Claims for mileage will not be accepted.
TaxisBusiness travelYes The use of taxis for journeys in excess of 25 miles will not be considered unless there are exceptional circumstances i.e. unexpected delays in planned public transport arrangements e.g. trains cancelled or flights delayed, or where it can be shown to be a cheaper alternative than using public transport, e.g. more than one claimant making the same journey. If the claimant’s only travel option is to use a taxi due to time constraints, consideration should be given to whether staying in a hotel close to the airport on the night before travel is a more cost effective option.
CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Car parking and toll charges Yes Reasonable parking expenses and charges for tolls will be reimbursed when necessary on business journeys. Receipts must be obtained as proof of charges. Please note that employee claims for parking at a University site will not be reimbursed.
Parking/Speeding fines Yes/No In exceptional circumstances, the reimbursement of parking fines will be considered if it is proven that the fine was incurred whilst on University business and was unavoidable. The fine will be reimbursed via Payroll and will be subject to deductions. Speeding fines will not be reimbursed by the University under any circumstances.
Inter site travel (non essential users)Term timeYes/No Employees who are required to travel between campuses during term time should normally walk, cycle, or use the University bus. Reimbursement for the cost of the ticket for each journey can be claimed. Tickets should be attached to the claim as proof of purchase. If employees choose to use their own car to travel between campuses in term time, costs will not be reimbursed. In exceptional circumstance, where employees have a valid reason for using their own car, e.g. the transportation of large/heavy items, mileage allowance claims will be accepted. In these circumstances, the reason for using their own car must be stated on the claim submission.
Outside term time Yes The University bus is not available outside term time so, where a bus journey would have been claimed in term time, a mileage allowance claim will be accepted.
Inter site travel (essential users) Yes An essential car user is defined as an employee whose role requires them either to regularly transport heavy or bulky equipment, or to respond urgently to call outs and therefore it would not be practical to travel by using the inter-site bus service or other means of transport between campuses. Please contact Finance & Planning if you are unsure whether this categorisation applies.
CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Oyster cards, Smart cards top upsPersonalYes Expenditure incurred using personal oyster cards while on University business will only be reimbursed when accompanied by a journey history statement giving details of the cost of the relevant business journey undertaken. Claims for card top ups will not be reimbursed.
Contactless Travel Payments – LondonPersonalYes Expenditure incurred using credit/debit card, in lieu of an oyster card for business travel around London whilst on University business will only be reimbursed when evidenced by a credit/debit card statement. Payment via a credit/debit card is cheaper than pre-paid travel tickets and therefore offers value for money for the University..
Rail ticketsStandard classYes Train tickets should be standard class unless authorisation is obtained from a member of the University Executive. Tickets should be booked in advance, where possible.   (If an individual would prefer to travel first class, they may reclaim the cost of a standard class fare. The claim must be accompanied by clear evidence of the standard class fare for the exact journey taken.)   The University recommends Abellio Greater Anglia as a supplier for rail tickets, where possible. http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/
Underground ticketsAny typeYes Claimant must state to and from stations for each trip and, in addition, obtain receipts as proof of purchase where possible.
CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Air travelFlightsYes Flight tickets must be Economy Class unless authorisation is obtained from a member of the Academic Leadership Group to travel in a higher class. Such authorisation will only ever be granted for flights which exceed 8 hours (defined as the time between departure from the UK airport and arrival time at the destination airport) and where there is under 24 hours between the scheduled arrival time and the first part of University business. In such circumstances a higher class may be considered, which must be Premium Economy where available and only ever Business Class where Premium Economy is unavailable. Travel in first class is not permitted in any circumstances. No reimbursement will be made where Airmiles or any similar points scheme has been used to purchase flights.
Excess baggage charges Yes Only where travelling with heavy or bulky materials or equipment necessary for business and/or where excess baggage consists of University records or property. In such circumstances, excess baggage allowance should be booked in advance of travel.
Lost baggage – personal items No The University will not reimburse personal items lost while travelling on University business as this is deemed to be included in insurance cover.
Ferry travel Yes For crossings over 6 hours, standard cabin accommodation for each ferry crossing is allowable.
Travel insurance No All travel insurance for business travel must be arranged through the University’s insurance function, administered by the Commercial, Insurance and Procurement Team.                                                                 
Please refer to the insurance guidelines at https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Pages/insurance%20Guidel ines.aspx Once you have booked your travel, please complete the Travel Insurance Request e-Mail (in the insurance Guidelines) and return to [email protected] to allow plenty of time for documents to be processed.   In the event of damage to or loss of an item which may be insured by the University commercial insurance, please contact [email protected]
CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Pet/Child/Elder Care CostsPersonalNo The University will not reimburse care costs incurred whilst the claimant is away on University business.
AccommodationHotel/B&B accommodationYesMajor cities Maximum £150 per night Other – maximum £100 per nightWhere possible, accommodation should be booked in advance of travel using the normal University procurement processes and systems, ideally through a preferred supplier using the link below. It is expected that the accommodation would be a standard single room with private bath/shower. https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Documents/Procurement/Cor porate%20travel.docx Hotel accommodation varies per location and is demand driven. Therefore, the figures quoted are stated as a maximum value and all employees are expected to book the most cost effective accommodation and not to spend up to the levels given.   Major cities are defined as: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield. All international capital cities are defined as “major cities”
Private accommodation Yes Gift or meal up to the value of £25 per night If the claimant has stayed with friends or family, itemised receipts for a gift or a meal for the host up to the value of £25 per night will be reimbursed. This value is in addition to the employee’s normal subsistence expenses (see above)
Hotel expensesNewspapers/laundry & telephone calls to homeYes Incidental expenses such as newspapers, telephone calls to home and laundry will be paid up to the total value of £5.00 per day. Receipts for expenditure must be provided.
 Internet accessYes Yes, providing use is for business purposes.
 Minibar purchases/Pay- as-you go TVYes/No Soft Drinks and snacks may be purchased from the minibar, subject to the maximum values for subsistence listed below. Alcohol may not be purchased. Pay-as-you-go TV is not an allowable expense item.
CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Hotel ExpensesLeisure facilitiesNo Not an allowable expense item unless included in price of basic accommodation. This includes massage, sauna, gym and beauty treatments.
Medical expenses   Private Medical Prescriptions for vaccinations and other medical items are allowed within the bounds of reasonableness. Items of a more personal nature connected with the travel cannot be reclaimed e.g. ear plugs, sunscreen, insect repellents.
Incidental unreceipted expenses for overseas travel Yes The University will meet the cost of reasonable out of pocket business expenses incurred overseas for which receipts are unobtainable, e.g. public transport, taxi fares or food items to a maximum of £10 in value in one day (claims over £10 per day will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances).   Claims must be limited to the actual amount of expense incurred and all amounts claimed should be itemised and described as fully as possible. Please note that unreceipted claims will not be paid without detailed supporting analysis.
     

Meals, Meetings and Entertainment

Detailed guidance is set out below. In addition, please note the following:

Detailed/itemised receipts must be provided. Credit card receipts and copies of credit card statements can be accepted as proof of purchase but MUST be accompanied by a itemised receipt/invoice giving details of the items purchased. In exceptional circumstances, where itemised receipts are not available, debit or credit card receipts/statements will be allowed if the place of purchase and a brief description of goods/services are shown. In these circumstances, reimbursement may be through payroll with tax deducted.

If the claimant has paid via contactless, in some circumstances, a receipt is only provided if requested. The claimant must ensure that they obtain a receipt to support the expense.

CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
SubsistenceDaily/overnight allowanceN/A No general allowance is given for daily or overnight business trips. Individuals must submit receipts for all reasonable and appropriate expenses incurred while away from the University. It is expected that such expenses are incurred on an ‘out of pocket’ basis.
 General  The University will reimburse the actual cost of meals purchased.
Prices will vary depending on location and demand. The figures quoted are intended as a maximum value and repeated claims at the maximum level are not expected
Reimbursement for an alcoholic beverage will be made only if consumed at an evening meal
 BreakfastYesMaximum £8Allowable when travelling at least 10 miles away from the normal place of work and business travel commences before 7am. For overnight stays, a standard hotel breakfast, which may exceed this maximum value, can be included with the cost of accommodation.
 Lunch/Drink/SnackYesMaximum £10Allowable when travelling at least 10 miles away from the normal place of work for at least 5 hours.
    Alcoholic beverages will not be re-imbursed
 Evening mealYesMajor cities – maximum £35 per nightAllowable for overnight stays or in exceptional circumstances where business travel concludes after 7pm.
     Other – maximum £25 per nightMajor cities are defined as: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield. In addition, all international capital cities are defined as major.   Alcoholic beverages are limited to one per person.
 Tips and gratuitiesNo/yes UK – Any gratuities paid for restaurant service will be reimbursed through payroll with tax deducted unless the bill clearly states that the service charge is compulsory. Overseas – Reimbursed where considered reasonable and in line with the practice of the country where the expenditure has been incurred.
CategoryAllowableRateComments
EntertainingYes – Lunch/Evening meetings – University staff/employees only 
Lunch/evening meetings with external visitorsYesExternal examiners – limited to £25 per person per mealThe names of all individuals attending the meeting (both internal and external) must be stated on any reimbursement claim. Reimbursement of payments for alcohol consumed, at an evening meal only, will be limited to one alcoholic beverage per person. (see note above regarding tips and gratuities)
Student eventsYes Claims for entertaining for student events e.g welcome evenings, should include the name and reason for the event, the approximate number of students/employees in attendance and be supported by detailed, original receipts.
Staff PartiesNo Reimbursement of expenses, or use of purchase cards, in relation to staff parties will not be approved, as these are not considered appropriate business purposes.
    

Telecommunications

CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
TelecommunicationsTelephone – landlineNo Not an allowable item.
 Mobile phone – personal contractNo Not an allowable item.
 Mobile phone – University business calls made on a personal phoneYes Detailed call log with charges itemised required for supporting documentation.   Top up cards for pay as you go phones will be reimbursed through payroll with tax deducted, but only where agreed in advance with a budget holder.
 BroadbandYes Only in exceptional circumstances where a clear business need for the service has been identified.
     
Note: In line with HMRC policy, The University will not reimburse any associated contract fees (monthly rental).

IT equipment

CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
IT equipmentDesktop computersNo All IT equipment must be purchased through University procurement procedures, not via an expense claim.   Reimbursement will be made for purchase of protective covers for mobile devices, i.e. iPad, if not provided by the University.
Computer Peripherals e.g. printers etc. No
Laptop computers No
Mobile devices No
     

Fees and Subscriptions

CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
Fees and subscriptionProfessional membership feesYesMaximum £100All claims should be made on the work-related professional subscription fees form and forwarded to HR.   A maximum of £100 can be reclaimed and only one subscription per employee per year.   https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/hr/Pages/HRUsefulFormsandGu idelines.aspx   All professional subscriptions must be reclaimed via Payroll, not Agresso.
 Course registrationYes Providing associated with University business.
 Conference feesYes 
     

Gifts and Vouchers

CategorySub CategoryAllowable Yes/NoRateComments
GiftsFlowers/Food itemsYes (in exceptional circumstance) Only in exceptional circumstances such as for a long term sick employee (over 1 month), bereavement of a very close family member and long service awards to mark not less than 20 years’ service. Where a budget holder has taken the decision that this is appropriate, the maximum cost should be £25.
 Gifts to staff
 Gift cards/vouchers
 Gifts to hostsYes Reimbursed where considered reasonable and in line with the practice of the country where the expense has been incurred up to a maximum value of £100. A record of such gifts must be kept by the department in order to comply with statutory legislation.
     

Relocation Expenses

Relocation expenses will only be reimbursed where specifically agreed in advance with Human Resources as part of an employment contract. If applicable, please contact HR for further information regarding allowable costs and income tax implications.

Roles & Responsibilities of Claimants and Budget Holders

                                                                                                       Annex A

Claimants

Budget Holders

The budget holder for the claimant will check the claim to ensure that the expenses claim, travel arrangements etc. are appropriate to the business needs, are in accordance with costs agreed in advance and are in line with University policy BEFORE authorising the claim and passing it to the Finance team for processing. Budget holders should agree likely significant claims in principle prior to the claimant incurring costs.

Responsibilities of the Finance Team

The Finance team will:

For cash advances, the team will ensure:

If there are any inconsistencies or anomalies with any of the above, they will contact the employee/budget holders to discuss the issue and either correct the rates to be claimed or reject the claim.

Employees can contact the finance team at [email protected]

Insurance Responsibilities All Staff

Please note that all claimants must ensure that they have ‘business use’ cover on their personal car insurance policies before undertaking travel in their own vehicles on behalf of the University. If an accident occurs whilst an employee’s car is being used on University business and the employee has not declared such use to your insurers, this may void the claim and the employee would be personally liable for all damages and costs arising.

All staff travelling overseas must ensure that they complete the Travel Insurance Request e-Mail (in the Insurance Guidelines: https://infonet.glos.ac.uk/departments/fandp/Pages/insurance%20Guidelines.aspx .) and return to [email protected] to arrange travel insurance cover prior to their departure.

For more information on insurance, please contact [email protected] .

Major Cities

For the purposes of the policy, major cities in the UK are defined as:

All international capital cities would also be considered to be major cities

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