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yummyripples
16-09-2013, 08:13 AM
I have just started doing the school run. My husband used to walk my son. My school run little un does not like to walk and to be honest I don't fancy walking up the hill with a double buggy as well as looking after the walking children.
My question is whether I can claim mileage allowance because I am taking my own son

amylouise867
16-09-2013, 08:54 AM
I have just started doing the school run. My husband used to walk my son. My school run little un does not like to walk and to be honest I don't fancy walking up the hill with a double buggy as well as looking after the walking children.
My question is whether I can claim mileage allowance because I am taking my own son

I'm unsure on this one but I would say possibly not as it's for your family and not for your minded children.

I know you can't claim back on the food you and your family have unlike the food you buy for minded children so I would imagine the same would apply to the petrol to take ur little boy to school.

I'm sure someone more in the know on this will give you a defo answer :)

rickysmiths
16-09-2013, 09:13 AM
If you have the time I would still walk if that is what you used to do. I have independent walkers on reins (age dependent) and the hold onto the buggy. My children don't have the choice to 'not want to walk!' In fact it makes me more determined to get them walking! It is the healthy and green option for all of you.

If you are only going to the school for you child and you used to walk then it I think would be hard to claim mileage for your business now.

Simona
16-09-2013, 09:34 AM
I have just started doing the school run. My husband used to walk my son. My school run little un does not like to walk and to be honest I don't fancy walking up the hill with a double buggy as well as looking after the walking children.
My question is whether I can claim mileage allowance because I am taking my own son

Good question Yummyripples and one that should be referred to those who make decisions about this
If our children are part of the ratio...would that make a difference?
I have often driven the children to school to be back in time for those arriving at 9am!!
I am not sure so would recommend asking a professional in the right dept...somewhere!!

As for walking we all have to decide what is best for us and the kids...sometimes taking the car is the only option open to us if we are constantly looking at our watch and need to get back home in time for kids to be fed and be picked up on time...other times walking is good and part of their PD...your call!!

hectors house
16-09-2013, 11:50 AM
I would just claim it - how much is it going to add up to in an academic year? And now that the tax thresholds are so much higher lots of childminders won't earn enough to pay tax any way - especially those with a child of their own at home. Or you could just claim for 50% of it.

kellib
16-09-2013, 11:52 AM
I take my own son to school in the car but have never claimed mileage as I assumed because he is my child I wasn't entitled to claim the days younger mindees are with us because I'd have been going to school anyway.

KAZBAZ55
16-09-2013, 11:59 AM
Now i think that if you walk when you don't have the minded children and you are only driving because of the minded children I would think yes you can claim, because you wouldn't be driving if you didn't have them. Makes sense to me...not necessarily to the tax people....but it does to me!!! x

FussyElmo
16-09-2013, 12:17 PM
Are you only taking your son? If yes then no I wouldnt have thought you could claim the mileage as its nothing to do with your childminding.

yummyripples
16-09-2013, 12:21 PM
My husband usually walks my son to and from school. I have started taking him because I am taking a little girl too.
I think I will claim because if I didn't have the little girl he would still be walking so effectively I am only really using the car for her (and me)
Thanks
Sorry I realise I didn't word my original post at all clearly

westbrom44
16-09-2013, 12:39 PM
If you are taking a child to school as well as your own son, then yes you can claim mileage.

Chatterbox Childcare
16-09-2013, 01:22 PM
I queried this with the HMRC and the answer is NO - if you are taking your child then you cannot claim the mileage (but who would know?) - you could take them in the car and your DH and son walk.

If you did 2 schools and you went to your sons first, no mileage can be claimed but if you dropped off and went to another school you could claim from your sons school to the 2nd school and home

Chatterbox Childcare
16-09-2013, 01:23 PM
If you are taking a child to school as well as your own son, then yes you can claim mileage.

This is incorrect

Simona
17-09-2013, 08:26 AM
I think a lot of the support/advice here is incorrect...and very confusing as each has their own interpretation on what is to be claimed or otherwise...who said what or didn't

Check with an accountant what you are entitled to claim...look for information online
you would be surprised as a home based business how much is missing from the present and very outdated arrangement of very allowable expenses

Time to review it I think!!

maisiemog
17-09-2013, 08:34 AM
My dad is an accountant and does my accounts. He has always told me to only claim for what I can prove I use for business purposes. In this case as you are taking your child to school I would say no, however if you were driving minded children to school then yes it would be!

Tazmin68
17-09-2013, 11:54 AM
Hi

I do but I am taking other mindees to school and after school plus I collect younger children once I have taken school children to school and again take them home before I go to school in the afternoon so I have to use the car to meet everyone's needs. The ones I pick up and drop off are all under 2 year old funding and have special needs.

Deb

mpullen17387
17-09-2013, 12:12 PM
I have recently been to a hmrc course, in person, the last they held for childminders. You cannot claim for any car journey if your child is in the car. It had to be solely for the purpose of minded children.

Kirsty90
17-09-2013, 12:17 PM
I have recently been to a hmrc course, in person, the last they held for childminders. You cannot claim for any car journey if your child is in the car. It had to be solely for the purpose of minded children.

You can't claim any journey at all? So if you took the minded children to playgroup or soft play but your child was in the car too you could not claim this? X

lizduncan72
17-09-2013, 12:21 PM
I have recently been to a hmrc course, in person, the last they held for childminders. You cannot claim for any car journey if your child is in the car. It had to be solely for the purpose of minded children.

So I can't claim for picking up minded child from nursery because I have to take my 19 month old dd with me? That's solely for the purpose of picking up a minded child, no reason to go if I don't have him but can't leave dd at home alone while I go, bit unfair if I can't claim that :(

dawn100
17-09-2013, 01:21 PM
I think this a bit of a grey area and have been told different things by people at HMRC, but the lady I spoke to at HMRC when doing my tax return said if the journey was solely for the purpose of childminding then yes I could but otherwise no. This is the examples she gave me:
If you have a child who goes to school and also a minded child who you take to the same school then no you can't as you would have to make that journey somehow if you weren't childminding.
If you were taking minded children to a play group / outing and your child also went then yes you could but only if you were going there for the benefit of the minded child and your child was only going with you because you obviously can't leave them home alone.
In summary if its a journey you would make all be it on foot if you weren't minding then no you can't but if the reason is solely because of minding then yes you can.

mpullen17387
17-09-2013, 02:43 PM
You can't claim any journey at all? So if you took the minded children to playgroup or soft play but your child was in the car too you could not claim this? X

Nope she said any journey with minded children, if your child is in the car you cannot claim x

Kirsty90
17-09-2013, 03:28 PM
Nope she said any journey with minded children, if your child is in the car you cannot claim x

Thank you. That would mean a lot of us that have children under school age would not be able to claim for any miles we use then? X

Tazmin68
17-09-2013, 03:33 PM
Well when attended the hmrc course I was told that in the circumstances that I had put down in my previous message the answer was yes.

mpullen17387
17-09-2013, 04:07 PM
Best to check, I am only saying what I was told, so I personally will not be claiming.

Chatterbox Childcare
17-09-2013, 05:44 PM
So I can't claim for picking up minded child from nursery because I have to take my 19 month old dd with me? That's solely for the purpose of picking up a minded child, no reason to go if I don't have him but can't leave dd at home alone while I go, bit unfair if I can't claim that :(

I disagree with this and totally would claim - it is a 100% childminding cost - nothing to do with personal expenses at all - this is my opinion though

It's a small world
17-09-2013, 06:00 PM
I have my own 2 children to take to school . i have 3 mindees i collect from their home which i also take to school . Contract times are 15 minutes between each other . There is no way i can pick all 3 up and get to school on time by walking. Plus i collect a child from school once dropped off others and another child to collect on way home from school again not possible without car . Yes i claim as impossible to walk with all of them , collect and get to school on time . I can justify to hmrc that if my own children in car ( due illnesses or parents off) so only my own children i do not claim. But if mindees in car i do claim . If my children attend after school clubs i do not claim mileage for picking them up even though mindees may be with me. As its my children attending clubs Etc. hope that makes sense x

mpullen17387
17-09-2013, 06:34 PM
I have just started doing the school run. My husband used to walk my son. My school run little un does not like to walk and to be honest I don't fancy walking up the hill with a double buggy as well as looking after the walking children.
My question is whether I can claim mileage allowance because I am taking my own son

HMRC says...

Taxpayers can only claim the amount per mile basis for journeys that are wholly and exclusively for business purposes.

Taxpayers cannot claim the allowance for private journeys, such as travel from home to work, or for journeys that serve both business and private purpose.

I tried to link it but I struggle with that sort of thing lol! X

adedwards68
18-09-2013, 06:04 AM
What happens if you have to buy a bigger car therefore uses more petrol etc so you can take your own child to school but take mindees with you as well?

Sent from my iPhone using Childminding Forum

hectors house
18-09-2013, 06:38 AM
The original post stated that her husband used to walk with her own child but because the minded child is a lazy little so and so and won't walk she is now forced to take the car - or I suppose she could drive really slowly whilst her own child walked on his own or drive the mindee while husband still walks own child to school! - I often claim for 50% of things and would do that in this case, unless the school is a significant distance away in another town I wouldn't have thought that the Inland Revenue would quibble about it.

Kirsty90
18-09-2013, 06:46 AM
I just don't understand how we can't claim any mileage at all if our own children are in the car when we are going anywhere with mindees x

yummyripples
18-09-2013, 10:44 AM
The original post stated that her husband used to walk with her own child but because the minded child is a lazy little so and so and won't walk she is now forced to take the car - or I suppose she could drive really slowly whilst her own child walked on his own or drive the mindee while husband still walks own child to school! - I often claim for 50% of things and would do that in this case, unless the school is a significant distance away in another town I wouldn't have thought that the Inland Revenue would quibble about it.

Awww it's also because I don't fancy walking up a steep hill with a double buggy x lol

yummyripples
18-09-2013, 10:47 AM
I have decided that I will claim. I would not be using the car if not for the minded child.
It's a lot to think about because what about when you drop your own off at school and then go to playgroup. Can you claim from home to playgroup or just from school?
Issues issues issues

starlight1
18-09-2013, 11:41 AM
I spoke to my accountant last year about some of my millage claims...they were to school to collect my son which I walk everyday..but minded 3 year old was not able to walk as had already woke her up for school ..she said I could claim.

I know shopping trips if for my shopping aswell as childminding stuff you can't calim

seems it is such a grey area, different advise given to everyone

mpullen17387
18-09-2013, 03:08 PM
I have decided that I will claim. I would not be using the car if not for the minded child.
It's a lot to think about because what about when you drop your own off at school and then go to playgroup. Can you claim from home to playgroup or just from school?
Issues issues issues

You would be able to claim from school to play group as you don't have your child in the car.

yummyripples
19-09-2013, 02:20 PM
I know shopping trips if for my shopping aswell as childminding stuff you can't calim



Get round that by paying separately

Kerry30
19-09-2013, 02:56 PM
So what about claiming mileage for travelling to and from courses ie. First aid etc. Can u claim for that or not? Cos i wouldnt be doing them if i didnt mind.

mpullen17387
19-09-2013, 03:02 PM
Yes you can claim for them as sole purpose is for business