Flat Rate Expenses Allowance?

[smurfarama]

As flying instructors could we be entitled to this £850 a year addition to our tax allowance or is it only airline pilots.

I am a 'uniformed commercial pilot' which is what the HMRC website seems to quote as the requirement, but it also clearly states 'Airline pilots".

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim50050.htm

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[A Very Civil Pilot]

Put the claim in. Most local offices don't really seem to kn ow what it refers to in detail, some even claiming in only applies to BA and Easyjet!

you still need to pay for medicals, flying equipment etc, so there is no reason you shouldn't get the allowance.

[usedtofly]

Yeah, but are jeans and T shirt classified as a uniform? :E

[smurfarama]

Thanks for replies. I will give it a go and post how I get on!

[Mister Geezer]

If the other instructors are wearing jeans and t-shirts then it is uniform in every respect!!! :}

[foxmoth]

If not then you should certainly be able to claim some expenses, a proportion of phone costs and buying a laptop (I have briefings and other training material on mine), cleaning costs for uniform, and the cost of flying equipment (maps, headsets etc.),your FI renewal can also be claimed for if you pay for this yourself. If you are self employed you can also claim for travelling, especially if you instruct from more than one airfield, this can add up to quite a bit.

[timzsta]

OK here is a questions. I have two jobs. My non Instructing job I pay PAYE tax.

Now last year I earn't £1900 from instructing part time. My expenses came to £1600 - IR renewal, medical, fees to CAA to remove restrictions, charts, etc.
My accountant said "you have made £300 profit, you have to pay tax on that profit". He didn't take into account I had also paid £120 NI contributions for being self employed. I mentioned the FREA but he just said "we've already claimed that". And then I had to pay him £100 for his work so really I only made £100! The whole thing didn't seem right to me but I maybe wrong?

Thoughts?

[smurfarama]

After a bit of a mess about by HM Revenue & Customs, i got a phone call out of the blue asking if my employer made any contributions towards the things that the allowance pays for. A quick 'No' was all it took for the nice gentleman to allow me another £850 a year tax free (about £15 a month in my hand).