Travelling for Work: Expenses and Practicalities

Understand the policy first

Establish what class of travel is permitted, what accommodation limits apply, whether there are per-diem allowances or actual-cost reimbursement, and what requires pre-approval.

Establish who books — some organisations require booking through a travel management company, and booking independently means the cost is not reimbursed regardless of whether it was cheaper.

Establish the timescale for submitting claims. Late claims are frequently rejected, and this is the most common avoidable loss.

Records

Keep receipts as you go rather than assembling them afterwards. Photograph them immediately, since thermal receipts fade.

Record the business purpose alongside each expense, because that is what makes it deductible for the organisation and non-taxable for you.

Keep a record of mileage for any personal vehicle use, with dates, journeys and distances recorded contemporaneously rather than estimated later.

Tax treatment

Reimbursement of genuine business expenses is generally not taxable income, provided it meets the relevant rules.

Per-diem allowances above published rates may be partly taxable. Rules on what constitutes a temporary workplace, and how long you can work at one before it becomes permanent, affect whether travel there remains deductible.

Entertainment and hospitality are frequently treated differently from travel and subsistence, and rules vary considerably.

Where you pay costs personally and are not reimbursed, tax relief may be available. Rules differ by jurisdiction and are worth checking rather than assuming.

Practical matters

Check whether your travel insurance covers business travel, since many personal policies exclude it or cover only certain activities.

Check whether your employer's policy covers you, and what it excludes.

For international travel, establish whether a business visa or work authorisation is required. Attending meetings and performing work are treated differently by many immigration systems, and getting this wrong at the border is a serious problem.

Managing the trip itself

Book accommodation close to where you will actually be working rather than where is convenient to the airport, since local transport time accumulates.

Arrive the night before anything important. The cost of a hotel night is trivial against missing the meeting the trip exists for.

Build in recovery time after significant time zone changes where the work requires concentration.

Keep a small permanently packed bag with chargers, adapters and toiletries, which removes a recurring source of forgotten items for anyone travelling regularly.