Carers costs on holiday — Scope | Disability forum
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Carers costs on holiday

April
April Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
Do you take your carer on holiday with you? Do you pay their expenses? Can you tell me if you put these expenses through a payroll?
I am confused about this. Do we need to pay tax on carers' expenses? I am thinking about things like petrol expenses, and the cost of a room in a hotel.

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,339 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    If you're talking about the respite money that's sometimes included on top of a personal budget then it will totally depend what that extra money is for. I'd advise you to either speak to your social work or ring your local council to ask and they will tell you.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • April
    April Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
    Hi,

    If you're talking about the respite money that's sometimes included on top of a personal budget then it will totally depend what that extra money is for. I'd advise you to either speak to your social work or ring your local council to ask and they will tell you.
    Hi Poppy, No this isn't respite money. I'm paying privately. I'm just wondering about the tax situation if I employ someone to come on holiday and then pay for their room. I don't know if I have to pay tax via a payroll on the carers hotel stay, because it is a perk of the job for the carer. I know that some expenses are taxable. I just wondered what everyone else does. There must be a lot of people on here who pay their carer's expenses. 
  • April2018mom
    April2018mom Posts: 2,882 Disability Gamechanger
    We have taken a carer on vacation for the past two summers. Please feel free to message me on here for more details on the process. I strongly recommend listing all expenses each night in case. You can use a ordinary notebook to do this. How long will you go for? Where are you heading to? Talk to your care provider as well. They should also be able to deal with your questions and offer more information as well. Alternatively you can ask other parents of service users for their tips and suggestions too. I always trusted the one we have but if you do not either buy a good camera or stay nearby. 
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @April, I used to get direct payments for a PA and it was up to myself to cover their expenses when I went away. Whether that was food, hotel or transport. 
    Scope

  • pollyanna1052
    pollyanna1052 Community member Posts: 2,032 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi, I used to have a respite fund on top of my direct payments for care.

    I used the money for both mine and my carer`s accommodation, food and travel, plus wages extra to the usual daily costs.

    I was recently told the rules have changed as to how the respite fund is used. I can no longer use the money for myself...only for the carer`s costs.

    I have since declined the respite fund as I cant afford my own holiday costs, now that I am paying £233 a month towards my care.

    The alternative is for me to go into nursing homes for a break for my hubby. Nice!


  • April
    April Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
    We have taken a carer on vacation for the past two summers. Please feel free to message me on here for more details on the process. I strongly recommend listing all expenses each night in case. You can use a ordinary notebook to do this. How long will you go for? Where are you heading to? Talk to your care provider as well. They should also be able to deal with your questions and offer more information as well. Alternatively you can ask other parents of service users for their tips and suggestions too. I always trusted the one we have but if you do not either buy a good camera or stay nearby. 
    Hi There, Did you have to pay tax on the expenses for your carer? I've been told that expenses are similar to a salary, so we need to pay tax on them, but I don't know if this correct. 
  • April
    April Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering


    Hi @April, I used to get direct payments for a PA and it was up to myself to cover their expenses when I went away. Whether that was food, hotel or transport. 
    Hi Chloe, thank you for your reply. Were you told that you had to pay tax on the expenses?
  • April
    April Community member Posts: 110 Pioneering
    Hi, I used to have a respite fund on top of my direct payments for care.

    I used the money for both mine and my carer`s accommodation, food and travel, plus wages extra to the usual daily costs.

    I was recently told the rules have changed as to how the respite fund is used. I can no longer use the money for myself...only for the carer`s costs.

    I have since declined the respite fund as I cant afford my own holiday costs, now that I am paying £233 a month towards my care.

    The alternative is for me to go into nursing homes for a break for my hubby. Nice!


    Hi Pollyanna, I just thought of something that might help you...when you have your financial monitoring (to decide how much you should pay towards your care), remember to mention absolutely every expense that you have related to your disability. They must take these things into account. So I mention things like all the disposable items and cleaning stuff and all the extra washing. It all adds up. Hope that helps to bring down your financial contribution.
  • newborn
    newborn Community member Posts: 832 Pioneering
    April Im not sure you are right to think the taxman would describe the room as a perk on top of pay.  The carer is away from their own bedroom at home, because they are accompanying you as part of their job. Its an essential  expense, just as it would be if you provided them with rubber gloves to do some cleaning. 

    The taxman  must know you can't expect the  employee to sleep in the street, any more than you could expect them to do industrial chemical cleaning  without gloves.
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    April said:
    Hi @April, I used to get direct payments for a PA and it was up to myself to cover their expenses when I went away. Whether that was food, hotel or transport. 
    Hi Chloe, thank you for your reply. Were you told that you had to pay tax on the expenses?
    Hi @April, I would just do it how I would book a hotel for myself. It came out of my own money so wasn't declared as expense. I did pay tax. I hope this helps. :)
    Scope

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