Is this a legitimate expense?

[maisiemog]

I'm about to pay for my first unit of my open university course. Can I claim it as a business expense because there is no way I would be doing to if I wasn't CMing.

[Kiddleywinks]

Yes, training is a legitimate business expense

[FussyElmo]

But its not compulsory and Im thinking expensive.

I would give the tax people a ring and see what they advise.

[Koala]

I agree any training related to childminding, childcare or child development to promote your professional development, compulsory or not, is a business expense.

[FussyElmo]

I agree any training related to childminding, childcare or child development to promote your professional development, compulsory or not, is a business expense.

I do agree however HMRC may not see it like that so its always best to get confirmation from them and if they say yes take their name department etc

[Simona]

I do agree however HMRC may not see it like that so its always best to get confirmation from them and if they say yes take their name department etc

Training has always been a claimable expense...why should it have changed now?
this enquiry is about paying for an OU unit which is towards qualifications

IF HMRC change such claims then we need to be 'officially' informed somehow...that's what I feel

[FussyElmo]

Training has always been a claimable expense...why should it have changed now?
this enquiry is about paying for an OU unit which is towards qualifications

IF HMRC change such claims then we need to be 'officially' informed somehow...that's what I feel

Because none of us are hmrc so its always prudent to check any information from the source :-D

[dawn100]

Training has always been a claimable expense...why should it have changed now?
this enquiry is about paying for an OU unit which is towards qualifications

IF HMRC change such claims then we need to be 'officially' informed somehow...that's what I feel

Not all training is a legitimate expense, this is what I was informed by HMRC, I can't remember the exact ins and outs but you can't put everything through, so I would double check with HMRC. My local council had been advising us it was but after a phone call to the HMRC about something else and mentioning training she went on to give an explanation of what was and wasn't, I even phoned back to speak to someone else and was given the same answer. So I would double check.

[Simona]

Because none of us are hmrc so its always prudent to check any information from the source :-D

Exactly...that is why HMRC should inform us in an official way....at least it would be useful to those cms who do their own accounts

Dawn100...thanks for that ...we really need a guideline somewhere that can be easily checked

[Simona]

Because none of us are hmrc so its always prudent to check any information from the source :-D

Exactly...I was not advising I was asking why has it changed and 'official' warnings are best when rules change

[rickysmiths]

It has always been the same and you do have to check what training is a claimable expense.

[maisiemog]

I rang and the girl I spoke to has told me I can claim for it so long as I can prove that I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't work related! I certainly wouldn't and as far as I'm concerned it is the next logical step in my professional development so I'm putting it through the books.

[lisbet]

Interesting. My next OU module is going towards my Open degree, but it also gives me a certificate: "Working together for children". I think the course content will be especially useful to me in my CM work with families referred by the LA, so I wondered if it could be counted as an expense.

Someone I spoke to said it was only courses you have to do as a condition of registration, like First Aid, that could be counted though.

How do you prove that you would not be doing a non-required course if it wasn't for your work?

[maisiemog]

My previous jobs had nothing to do with working with children, none of the things I do in my private time are child related and I have no intention of finishing CMing any time soon to get a job (and if I did I wouldn't work in childcare) so I would argue any training to do with childcare is specifically for work. I would argue if they said only mandatory training can be claimed for. My DH works in a warehouse and he does plenty of non-mandatory training (and some of it a damn lot more expensive than my OU course!) and I be this company claim for all his non mandatory training. If they can why can't i?

[lisbet]

Maisiemog, I hope my post didn't come across wrong?

I didn't mean to imply I thought you couldn't or shouldn't put your course through as an expense. I was just thinking aloud about where and how they draw the line x

Think I will phone HMRC and ask about my particular course.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

A childminder is currently being investigated and the HMRC have told her that the only courses she can claim for are Safeguarding and First Aid as they are compulsory.

I would advise everyone to check with the HMRC and either get the okay in writing/email/text or a minimum of the persons name with date and time you spoke to them.