Overseas Subsistence Allowance Slashed on 1 Jun 08

[FarWest]

Anyone know why Service Overseas Subsistence Allowances have, with a few exceptions, been slashed from 1 Jun?

Examples (all Day Subsistence on 31 May / Day Subsistence on 1 Jun 08):

Australia 162.26 Aus Dollars / 89.33 Aus Dollars
Canada 128.74 Can Dollars / 64.04 Can Dollars
Paris 101.11 Euros / 56.91 Euros

And the list goes on.....

There are also no variations within countries any more - flat rate anywhere in USA 57.20 US Dollars from 1 Jun

FW

[VinRouge]

The government is bankrupt.

[Early Stacker]

VR - would that be financially or morally?

[Si Clik]

Perhaps they are a little more realistic.

I have just been to Paris with the company and neveracheived 101 euros even when drinking the very best wine with my two meals. I think 85 was the closest I could get.

Unless you are suggesting that we should claim for alcoholic drinks over our allowance to make up the difference? Mon Dieu!

By the way I probably ate the best food I have had in a very long time with proper napkins and everything.

STANDS BACK AND WAITS FOR THE FLACK.

:)

[skippedonce]

Could also have something to do with the desperate weakness of sterling. Less than 2 Aussie dollars to the pound now as opposed to $2.40 about a year ago, or $2.80 going back 3-4 years.

[minigundiplomat]

Could also have something to do with the desperate weakness of sterling. Less than 2 Aussie dollars to the pound now as opposed to $2.40 about a year ago, or $2.80 going back 3-4 years.

Surely in that case rates should be going up?

[Vortex_Generator]

I think OSA rates, even the new ones, are generally reasonable in my experience (mostly Europe lately). What we all should be shouting about is the dire rate we get for the UK!

[Occasional Aviator]

I noticed the rates have gone down, but potentially lucrative is that my admin office are convinced that since the new allowances were promulgated at the time JPA was introduced, there is now no reason not to claim LOA at the same time as rates - I thought this was too good to be true, but I have looked at the regulations and it seems they're right! Perhaps this reduction is to take this into account?

[Truckkie]

It seems that you are correct - got my HR guys to examine JSP 752 and it does appear that while claiming LOA or OSA you can also claim IE at the same time!!

Wonder if you can claim retrospectively!!!:ok:

[VinRouge]

Sorry to be a bit of an idiot, but under what circumstances can you claim LOA?

Are we talking capped rates here, or something else? Do you have to be posted, or can you claim it for attending a course overseas?

[Dancing Bear]

LOA is claimable for any time you are in a foreign country for each 24 hours, and part thereof, yes you can claim LOA and IE at the same time they are for seperate "packages". LOA is to make up the difference in the mythical basket of shopping in the UK and whatever country you are visiting, and Incidental Expenses is for the coffee, newspaper and telephone call home for each day you are there, you can go oner better and claim LSA also, but that is just being greedy, or is it playing the game, you decide!

[VinRouge]

Hey, the way I look at things if you dont claim it, you are giving it to them!!!

Will have to look into this and see if there is any back dating I can do... :ok:

[14greens]

Been a long time coming! And something a lot of us have been calling for it, make it nice and easy and have a flat rate instead of different rates for different cities never mind countries. But think the rate equates to about £27 a day, if thats to pay for a reasonable lunch and dinner in some places people will struggle! Def some places in the middle east where it will be McD's or shwarma
Its not the fact its a flat rate thats the problem, its that the rate is so low compaired to the majority of "rates" that were previously issued!
Seems odd that from today you can eat for half the price that you could yesterday ho hum!

[14greens]

Then again think this is pretty much in alignemnt with what the civil service get paid when in the Uk, close to £5 for lunch and about £22 for dinner, with an IE payment of about £5

[Brown Job]

That's not true at all. In the UK there is no cap at all on a CS claim for DS, it just has to be reasonable and can even include a 1/2 bottle of wine for dinner. As long as one has a normal 3 course dinner, claim away!

[Sospan]

The half bottle of wine is a myth, the JSP says your evening meal may include an alcoholic drink. Anything further to this is local interpretation.

[Redcarpet]

Nibbled to death by ducks and there goes another nail in the coffin for so many.

[SVK]

Its a good job that Sterling is so strong and global food prices aren't on their way up then.

[Jimlad1]

"
That's not true at all. In the UK there is no cap at all on a CS claim for DS, it just has to be reasonable and can even include a 1/2 bottle of wine for dinner. As long as one has a normal 3 course dinner, claim away!

There is no cap true, but the system is audited within MOD and you need to be expected to justify large expenses. When overseas MOD CS get actuals, plus £10 per night incidental expenses and thats it. Hotels are limited to £110 per night which in a lot of places can often not get you very much at all...