u/OutsideEnd3

I work for a large UK charity on a home-based contract. My role is field-based, travelling daily to various locations across a defined geographic area in Northern Ireland.

My employer has recently informed staff informally via a line manager that we must now deduct a round trip between our home and a fixed point within our geographic area (approximately 50 miles) from all mileage claims. No formal written policy has been issued.

Some key facts:

∙	My contract states my place of work is home based

∙	Any change to place of work requires mutual agreement — this has not happened

∙	HMRC guidance (section 3.34, Employment Income Manual) explicitly states geographic area workers are entitled to full tax relief on travel within their area — no notional commute deduction is mentioned

∙	My employer’s own expenses policy only refers to deducting travel to a contracted place of work — which in my case is home

∙	Head of HR has confirmed the expenses policy has not changed

∙	A senior manager was reported to have said staff “should have a commute and nobody should be able to claim from home”

∙	We have been told to submit claims under the new rules now and reclaim the difference later if the policy changes

My questions:

∙	Is this enforceable without a formal contract change?

∙	Can it be applied retrospectively to previously submitted claims?

∙	Does this constitute an unlawful deduction from wages?

Already in contact with our Staff Association. Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

I work for a large UK charity on a home-based contract. My role is field-based, travelling daily to various locations across a defined geographic area in Northern Ireland.

My employer has recently informed staff informally via a line manager that we must now deduct a round trip between our home and a fixed point within our geographic area (approximately 50 miles) from all mileage claims. No formal written policy has been issued.

∙	My contract states my place of work is home based

∙	Any change to place of work requires mutual agreement — this has not happened

∙	HMRC guidance (section 3.34, Employment Income Manual) explicitly states geographic area workers are entitled to full tax relief on travel within their area — no notional commute deduction is mentioned

∙	My employer’s own expenses policy only refers to deducting travel to a contracted place of work — which in my case is home

∙	Head of HR has confirmed the expenses policy has not changed

∙	A senior manager was reported to have said staff “should have a commute and nobody should be able to claim from home”

∙	We have been told to submit claims under the new rules now and reclaim the difference later if the policy changes

I was wondering

∙	Is this enforceable without a formal contract change?

∙	Can it be applied retrospectively to previously submitted claims?

∙	Does this constitute an unlawful deduction from wages?

Already in contact with our Staff Association. Any advice appreciated. Thanks.