Tax rules lead to mileage rate changes at BBC

Changes have been made to BBC mileage payments in response to new tax rules.
According to BECTU, from April 6 2002, the date of the tax changes, staff using private cars for BBC business will be eligible for remuneration of 40p for the first 10,000 miles in a year, and 25p per mile if they exceed that threshold.
The previous break point was 4,000 miles per year. The new rates will cover all sizes of engine.
Journeys in BBC issued cars, where the cost of petrol is reimbursed, will be paid at 10p per mile for vehicles with engines up to 1400cc, and 12p per mile for larger engines.
The public transport rate, paid for example when staff choose to travel by car rather than train, will be increased to 21p per mile.
BECTU said that the changes had been accepted as they were the result of a general alteration of Inland Revenue rules affecting all companies which remunerate staff for travel.
However, BECTU, warned members that an internal BECTU publication, the BBC Informer, published before the changes, had wrongly included the old 45p per mile rate for private car use.
(SP)