Travel & Expenses
– A HELPFUL POLICY
In a nutshell
This document sets out Junior Adventure Group’s policy (including Energy Kidz and Fit For Sport) for reimbursing team members for business-related expenses and travel.
This means
✓ Be Considerate – only claim for expenses that are business related
✓ Be Passionate – lead by example and where possible minimise the need for business related expenses
✓ Be Courageous – ask permission before making any work related purchases
✓ Make a Difference – where possible conduct meetings online to minimise the need to travel.
The inside info
Where can I find everything?
What is this policy about? Page 1
What happens if I don’t follow this policy? Page 2
How do I submit my expenses? Page 2
What supporting documentation do I need to give? Page 2
What can I claim for? Page 3
What can I not claim for? Page 6
How will my claim be processed? Page 7
Frequently asked questions Page 7
What is this Policy about?
We understand that from time to time you may be required to purchase items or travel on behalf of Junior Adventures Group; and we absolutely want to ensure you get reimbursed for the costs. This policy will help you to understand what you can and cannot claim for, as well as how to claim your money back.
In essence, this means….
« We will reimburse you for reasonable and relevant expenses when you travel on behalf of the company. However, we ask that you try, where possible, to conduct meetings online.
« All travel and business-related expenses need to be pre-approved by your line manager before they are booked.
« Where possible, the most cost-effective way of travel must be used.
« We will need to see receipts for each item that you are claiming.
« Travel should be booked at least 7 days in advance so we can secure the lowest fare possible.
« Where possible, we want to avoid flexible fares, however if this is needed, we can seek approval from the Finance Director.
« All travel and expenses must be approved by your line manager. Unfortunately, we cannot accept self-approved expenses.
What happens if I don’t follow the Policy?
We hope that this policy will provide you with the guidance you need when submitting a claim. Our finance team will also check each expense claim submitted and may come back to you with any questions they have.
In an instance where we have reason to believe an error has been made, we will first seek an understanding from you on what has happened. In such cases, we may need to withhold payment until clarification has been given, or we may ask that payments already made to you are deducted from your next salary payment.
If we have reason to believe that a claim has been submitted in breach of this policy, our People & Culture team will be advised, and we may need to follow our disciplinary procedure.
Some (not all) of the things we will look for are false expense claims, claims for expenses that were not legitimately incurred, claims for gifts or hospitality to encourage a client or business contact to work with us and/or claims that allow for you to personally gain from them.
How do I submit my expenses?
Nobody likes owing people money, and we’re exactly the same. If you have expenses that you need to claim for, we ask that you submit these across on a monthly basis (or within a month of the trip/expense being incurred). Any expense claims submitted that are older than 3 months will need the Finance Director’s approval before we can make the payment to you.
We will process expenses twice a month (around the middle and the end of the month). If you require access to any of the below systems, please contact our finance team at expenses@junioradventuresgroup.co.uk.
WordPress
Most employees should submit their expenses online via WordPress at: https://www.energykidz.co.uk/expense-form/ and these are subject to approval by your line manager. Receipts must be attached in the WordPress system and all fields completed.
Rydoo
Some Central Operations staff have access to the Rydoo expense claim system and should continue to submit expense claims using this system.
Excel Spreadsheet Template
The old Fit For Sport excel expense form has now been retired, effective January 2022. All expense claims should now be submitted via WordPress (except for those few that have access to Rydoo).
What supporting documentation do I need to give?
When making an expense claim, please ensure you check the below guidelines on what can and cannot be claimed, alongside what we will need from you to support your claim.
Receipts
For us to be able to validate your expense claims, we will need a copy of your original receipt as supporting documentation. These should be submitted alongside your claim through one of the processes listed above.
We understand that sometimes receipts can go missing. In this instance, please send across an extract from your bank or credit card statement highlighting the spend. For cash expenses where you have lost the receipt, please ensure that you highlight on the claim that no receipt has been provided and it will be at the discretion of your line manager whether this will be approved.
Corporate Credit Cards (including Purchasing Cards)
If you have been issued with a corporate credit card, we ask that care is taken and it should only be used for business travel and expenses where possible.
We will provide you with a copy of the credit card statement at the end of each month and you must ensure that all expenditure is correctly coded, receipts provided and submitted for authorisation to expenses@junioradventuresgroup.co.uk within 2 working days of receiving the statement.
What can I claim for?
Travel & Mileage
We ask that when travel is required for you to for fill the responsibilities of your role, that you use the most cost-effective transport methods and routes. We really don’t want you out of pocket and will reimburse you the reasonable cost of necessary travel in line with our business needs. Where possible, we ask that you take the most economic means of travel, if practicable.
Below you will find a few travel situations which we would not cover.
« Travel between your home and your contractual place of work.
« Travel that is mainly for your own purposes; and
« Travel on our behalf, which is similar to travel between your home and contractual place to work.
Your place of work is your usual work location. This can be found on your employment contract, or any contract amendment letters if this is amended throughout your employment with us. The cost of travel to/from your place of work are not claimable, nor are the costs of accommodation or meals incurred near to your place of work.
If you work regular shifts across multiple sites, you may have a few places of work that would apply. If you travel to one of our offices, or a specific school or leisure centre that we operate in at least 6 times per year, that setting or office will be your permanent workplace, even if that location is not referenced in your employment contract.
In essence, you can claim for expenses for travelling between different work locations, so long as they are not from your home to/from a place of work as commuting expenses are not reimbursable under HMRC guidelines. We understand that there are circumstances beyond your control, so the following exceptions will apply.
« When providing cover at a setting on a temporary basis, that is a significant distance from your place of work (or ‘usual’ setting).
« Field-based staff (such as Area Managers and Business Development Managers) that regularly travel to multiple locations can claim travel to/from their home.
Car Hire or Use of Private Vehicle
If you need to travel for business purposes, it’s important to determine what is the most economical way to get there. If you have a valid driving licence, you may want to consider using your own vehicle or hiring one. We suggest using one if when:
« Driving is more cost effective than public transport or taxis « You are travelling with other work colleagues and/or clients; or « You are transporting large or bulky items.
If you choose to hire a car, we recommend a standard size (sedan or smaller) unless a larger vehicle is required (check with your line manager if you need help with choosing).
When travelling with a hire car or your own vehicle for business purposes, we will cover your fuel, parking, and toll fees for the journey.
As the traveller, you will be responsible for:
« Booking the required vehicle (don’t forget to get your line managers approval before)
« When returning the hire car to the rental depot, make sure the fuel tank is full (car hire companies will charge a higher rate to fill up the car).
« Claiming any actual parking expenses incurred, up to a maximum of £15 per day.
« Claiming any toll expenses (for your own car)
Please note that we will not be responsible for any fines or penalties incurred by the driver, and these will not be reimbursed.
Milage Rates (effective from January 2022)
If you are using your own vehicle for business travel, you can claim milage for the journey (this does not include travelling to/from your home to/from your place of work).
Type of Vehicle
First 10,000 miles
Thereafter
Car
45p/mile
25p/mile
Motorbike
24p/mile
24p/mile
Accommodation Expenses
Where your travel requires you to stay overnight, the standard of accommodation chosen should provide a safe and secure environment, be convenient to the place of work, comfortable, friendly and provide value for money.
As a general rule of thumb, for domestic and international travel, accommodation in a 3-star hotel would meet these standards e.g., Days Inn, Travelodge, or Premier Inn. Wherever possible, please book at least 7 days in advance to receive better rates.
• If it is for group training or team building related activities, twin share arrangements should be utilised to minimise costs.
• If it is for any other business-related activities which are not included above, a standard private accommodation will be utilised.
• Costs of accommodation near your main JAG office location are not reimbursable by the Company.
• Instead of hotel accommodation, you may choose to stay with friends or family nearby and claim £25 per night in lieu of the cost of accommodation and meals.
When using accommodation of business travel, we ask that you help us with the following.
« During check in and check out, confirm the nightly rate against the travel itinerary
« Check that any additional charges are correct on the final invoice
« If you need to cancel your trip, please make sure you cancel the booking with the hotel no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled check in date/time to avoid any ‘no-show’ fees. Which could be the full cost of one night’s stay.
Meal Expenses
We will cover the cost of your meals whilst away on business travel in line with the guidelines below.
« Where possible, please ensure that meal expenses for the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) do not exceed the daily allowances. The daily allowances in the UK are:
o Breakfast: £5.00 if leaving home before 6.00am to start your qualifying journey o Lunch: £5.00 where your qualifying journey was for at least 5 hours and incurred the cost of a meal
o Dinner: £15.00 where you had to work later than usual and finished work after 8pm before your qualifying journey ends.
« A qualifying journey means:
o Travel must be part of your duties or to a temporary place of work
o You should be absent from your normal place of work or home for a continuous period of more than 5 hours.
o You should have incurred the cost of a meal (feed and drink) after starting the journey.
« For travelling outside the UK, please refer to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/expenses-rates-foremployees-travelling-outside-the-uk
« The above allowances cover all alcohol consumed.
« Should you choose to use room service (in-room dining), the cost service delivery is to form part of the above allowance.
« If you choose to use the mini bar in the hotel room, the cost will form part of the daily allowance.
« If you choose to tip, the amount must not be more than 10% of the bill.
« Please make sure you keep all your receipts as evidence of your expenses.
« You can claim the meal expenses by submitting an expense claim via one of the approved expense systems. You are required to specify the destination and number of nights away when submitting an expense claim.
Meeting Expenses
When conducting business meetings, we encourage everyone to use our offices where tea, coffee, soft drinks are available for use. If this is not possible, you may claim the cost for each person attending.
When attending a meeting (e.g., group, conference, seminar), we ask that you cover the cost of your own expenses where practically possible and submit an expense claim form for reimbursement. Where arrangements for hotels, meals etc are made on behalf of all attendees, or when costs are not directly billable to individuals (e.g., meeting rooms, banquets) collective invoices should be obtained for processing by the finance team.
Entertainment Expenses
We all love to celebrate our successes, but it’s important that we do so in the correct way. If you wish to expense an entertainment expense, we will need you to follow the below guidance.
« All entertainment expenses (either JAG UK employees or business entertainment) should have prior approval from the CEO before any cost is incurred.
« Any meal and entertainment expenses should demonstrate a valid business purpose and be reasonable for the occasion and location.
« Meals among JAG UK employees should be kept to a minimum and limited to extended business discussions and group events such as team building.
« Meal expenses should be paid for and claimed by the most senior level employee of the group hosting the business meeting. Exceptions to this policy are allowed for group meetings when it is more practical for the meeting organizer to pay for the meal (e.g., training sessions)
« It is accepted business practice to entertain commercial contacts under conditions conducive to business discussions. Such entertaining must serve a definite business purpose with a reasonable expectation of deriving business benefits in line with our Conflict of Interest Policy.
« When submitting, an expense claim for meals or entertainment, please make sure you include:
o Date o Place o Full name of attendees o Company of affiliation
o Business purpose or nature of discussion
Gift Expenses
Gifts to clients or people not employed by us are discouraged. If gifts are given to non-employees for appropriate business reasons, you must get approval from the CEO prior to incurring the cost. Gifts to employees will not be reimbursed unless you have prior approval from the CEO.
Setting Expenses
If you are a Setting Manager, from time to time, we may need you to make emergency or one-off purchases that are not available through our established supplier accounts. It is the responsibility of the Setting Manager to ensure:
a) Expenditure must be within the service budget
b) Maintain receipts for all expenses incurred
c) Compete an expense claim
d) Submit the expense claim to their line manager for approval
e) Submit the expense claim monthly to accurately reflect the timing of the costs incurred
What can I NOT claim for?
Though not an exhaustive list, the following expenses are not reimbursable:
a) Barber, beautician, spa services or shoeshine
b) Commute-related mileage, fuel, tolls, or parking charges
c) Car wash and damage / repair costs related to use of personal car for business use
d) Parking tickets or fines for traffic violations
e) Recreational fees (e.g., golf, tennis) except for approved group outings
f) Personal vacation packages
g) Theft, loss or damage to luggage or personal effects (reimbursement for these expenses should be obtained from either the airline, the Corporate Card, or the personal homeowner’s insurance policy)
h) Travel insurance premium
i) Corporate card cash advances and personal expenses
j) Donations and other charitable donations
k) Fees for personal credit cards or reward programs
l) Babysitting costs
m) Airline executive club memberships
n) Adult entertainment clubs or venue that could create exclusionary activity
How will my claim be processed?
The finance team will ensure that all of your claims are checked and approved before making payment. They may reach out to you to ask any questions that they may have too.
« You must submit expense claims using the approved expense claims documents.
« All expenses must be approved by your line manager before reimbursement.
« Reimbursement of all approved expenses will be done twice per month, around the middle and end of each month.
« Reimbursement will be to the bank account provided by you on the BambooHR system.
« We ask that you make sure your banking details provided are correct to minimise any delays.
The last word
We never want our people to out of pocket for any costs they have to spend on behalf of the business, we just ask that you follow the above policy as a guide on what can and cannot be claimed. If you act in any way that’s not aligned with our policy (or purposely breach our expense claim policy) then you risk disciplinary action up to and including the termination of your employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where can I find the expense claim form?
A: https://www.energy-kidz.co.uk/expense-form/
Q: I’ve lost my receipt, what should I do?
A: We understand that sometimes receipts can go missing. In this instance, please send across an extract from your bank or credit card statement highlighting the spend. For cash expenses where you have lost the receipt (or a receipt was not issued), please ensure that you highlight on the claim that no receipt has been provided and it will be at the discretion of your line manager whether this will be approved.
Q: I need to go on a last minute business trip, can I still do this?
A: We ask that when travel is required for you to for fill the responsibilities of your role, that you use the most cost-effective transport methods and routes. We really don’t want you out of pocket and will reimburse you the reasonable cost of necessary travel in line with our business needs. Where possible, we ask that you take the most economic means of travel, if practicable. Don’t forget to get your line managers approval before booking or travelling.
Policy Profile
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Policy name:
Travel & Expense Policy
•
Policy owner:
Finance Director
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Policy version #:
1.1
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Policy effective:
January 2022
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Policy feedback:
expenses@junioradventuresgroup.co.uk
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Useful links:
https://www.energy-kidz.co.uk/expense-form/
