View Full Version : Officers' Mess Membership
BigginAgain
11th Jan 2006, 20:50
I am sure I read about this on here, but searches revealed nothing, so here goes:
I am a member of my Officers' Mess, but noted that the 'powers that be' had chosen to remind officers (through SROs) that this is a mandatory requirement backed by QR BLAH.
Didn't this cease to be the case after someone tried and failed to gain a tax exemption as a 'mandatory/legitimate business expense' ?
If it's been covered before I will happily remove thread. And my the way, I believe we should be members of the Mess (be we WOs, SNCOs or offrs), I am just interested.
BA
southside
11th Jan 2006, 20:52
Why would you NOT want to be a mess member?????
detgnome
11th Jan 2006, 20:59
Interested to hear anybody else's experience with regard to tax claims, as I have been claiming on my tax return for several years now.
Confucius
11th Jan 2006, 21:06
Why would you NOT want to be a mess member?????
Maybe he has a family and/or a full and enjoyable life outside of the air force? Maybe he has to drive to work and doesn't feel the need to drink with people he works with? Maybe the people he works with are tw@s and he doesn't want to drink with them? Maybe he has a TV at home and gets a newspaper delivered daily? Maybe he resents the air force forcing him to something anachronistic? Maybe the air force is just a job that keeps him and his family in a comfortable manner, not a way of life?
Lara crofts pants
11th Jan 2006, 21:08
Careful detgnome, I was told in no uncertain terms by the tax office that mess fees did not count in any way, shape or form and was refused any rebate against them.
LCP
Safety_Helmut
11th Jan 2006, 21:28
If he's a member of the same mess as Southside........................
Kim Il Jong
11th Jan 2006, 21:38
I'm with detgnome on this one. if you have to pay fees to be a member of a professional oganisation that is mandatory for you to do your job then the fees are tax deductible. My tax code is automatically adjusted for this. Keep yer mess bills and only claim back for the standing/ mandatory charges. Would be nice if you could get the booze back as mandatory, might liven up the Messes a bit!
DaveyBoy
11th Jan 2006, 21:51
Safety: Do Air Cadets have messes? ;)
gijoe
12th Jan 2006, 09:37
Interesting thought about claiming back the subscriptions bit...
mgdaviso
12th Jan 2006, 09:41
Safety: Do Air Cadets have messes? ;)
some of us....;)
teeteringhead
12th Jan 2006, 10:49
ISTR the tax deductible bit was tried (and failed) many years ago. One of the reasons given then IIRC was that not everyone has to belong to a Mess so it couldn't be mandatory therefore not deductable.
I've certainly spent two-and-a-half years on Loan Service, and a total (God help me) of four-and-a-half in Main Building, during which time I didn't belong to any Mess! Parented by Uxbridge in each case, but no Mess Membership. I guess the same applies to AFCOs, industry secondments, MPhils etc etc.
But it's still worth a try although the rewards may not be worth all the hassle/paperwork involved (depending on the mess charges of course!)
I think if you read the regs correctly it says that you ARE members of the mess, not ARE TO BE. It's a subtle difference that the tax man has latched on to. You can actually therefore resign mess membership, but it wouldn't do your career much good...
It's been through the courts and the tax man won.
Pontius Navigator
12th Jan 2006, 16:06
detgnome is probably getting rebate as the tax man merely sees 'professional fees' and has not asked for receipts.
I was audited once for claiming mileage relief on the grounds that the military had already paid me. They had not picked up on the rule change that allowed for tax relief on the difference between PTR and ODR (as was). Not only that but I lucked in as I had just bought a car over 2.5l and could claim the diff up to 64p/m. Happy days.
But the rules do keep changing. Like the paying tax when on Det. Always did and not sign of any change BUT it is was challenged who knows.
Like the actuals charges coming in, if you have the receipts AND the MOD does not pay you all you are due then you can claim this difference too.
southside
12th Jan 2006, 16:17
Maybe he has a family and/or a full and enjoyable life outside of the air force? Maybe he has to drive to work and doesn't feel the need to drink with people he works with? Maybe the people he works with are tw@s and he doesn't want to drink with them? Maybe he has a TV at home and gets a newspaper delivered daily? Maybe he resents the air force forcing him to something anachronistic? Maybe the air force is just a job that keeps him and his family in a comfortable manner, not a way of life?
Maybe he's a loner who sits on the side and doesn't take part. Maybe he's not a team player and prefers the company of himself. Maybe he is the tw@at at work and has been ostrasised from his work mates. Maybe he is the anachronistic one (doesn't anachronistic mean something which belongs in the past) but if he thinks HIS mess is anachronistic then why doesnt he change it???? Remember its HIS mess - Not the Station CDR's, not the Mess press...its HIS mess. Maybe he should leave this merry band of brothers and go and work for someone who will tax his ability to converse with his fellow work mates....a Driving instructor might be the career he's looking for.
Glass Half Empty
12th Jan 2006, 17:24
Chance for a bit of a diversion here on suitable posts:
How about lighthouse keeper - if we have any in the world these days!!
Confucius
12th Jan 2006, 18:22
Maybe he's a loner who sits on the side and doesn't take part. Maybe he's not a team player and prefers the company of himself. Maybe he is the tw@at at work and has been ostrasised from his work mates. Maybe he is the anachronistic one (doesn't anachronistic mean something which belongs in the past) but if he thinks HIS mess is anachronistic then why doesnt he change it???? Remember its HIS mess - Not the Station CDR's, not the Mess press...its HIS mess. Maybe he should leave this merry band of brothers and go and work for someone who will tax his ability to converse with his fellow work mates....a Driving instructor might be the career he's looking for.
Do you ever tire of toeing the company line? You make the perfect career drone - I've met your sort the air force over.
I value my independence, and that of others. Wishing to be a loner away from work isn't such a dreadful thing as you seem to think. I can't think of anything worse than being expected to socialise with those I choose not to. Messes ARE anachronistic, and if he should choose not to be a member that is his decision, and should be respected, not criticised by blinkered individuals or groups.
I read the entry in the SROs of a North Lincolnshire Stn whose Mess in on its satellite site, is this the only set of SROs it has appeared in or is it more widespread? What has prompted this, an example of an Officer not being a member or has it come from the same person who has re-instated the old rule of only Officers and WOs using the front door of SHQ?
Spotting Bad Guys
12th Jan 2006, 19:06
A little off topic, but does anyone know if the tax relief on PTR also applies to RPOD?
Thanks
SBG
SBG
Sadly it does not apply to RPOD - IR rules also do not permit journeys for sports and IIRC there is another exemption too. I think the form is available on line in the IR website; If not, your local tax office will be able to supply one for you.
BT
Pontius Navigator
12th Jan 2006, 21:22
The tax relief also applies to education and resettlement journeys.
Better yet, it also applies to the actual milage and not what handbrake house pays you. For instance if the HBH distance, or the rail fare cost is, say, 200 miles but your journey is actuallt 220 then you claim the difference between 40p/m and the PTR for 200 miles and the whole amount - 40p/m for the other 20.
Don't forget the part rail journeys too. You can claim 4 journeys to/from the station if your other half drives you there and back.
Turning into a tax thread aint it?