Forms P11D and P9D – which to use

August 2nd, 2011

Many expenses and benefits must be reported to the Taxman on forms P11D and P9D at the end of the tax year which is the 5 April.

It’s important to choose correctly between forms P11D and P9D for each employee. The form to use depends on the employee’s earnings and on whether they’re a director of your company.

Employees earning £8,500 or more a year – form P11D

Use form P11D to report expenses and benefits provided to an employee earning £8,500 or more per year; but see below for what to include when looking at the £8,500 threshold.

Employees earning less than £8,500 – form P9D

Use form P9D to report expenses and benefits provided to employees earning at a rate of less than £8,500 per year again see below for what to include when looking at the £8,500 threshold.

What the £8,500 threshold includes

The £8,500 threshold doesn’t only include wages or salary that you pay the employee. You must also include the value of the expenses and benefits they receive from you. You will need to work out what benefits would have to be included if their earnings were above £8,500, then add this notional amount to see if the threshold is exceeded.

The £8,500 operates on a pro rata basis if the employee only works for part of the year. For example, if an employee only works for six months of the year then you’ll need to use a form P11D if their earnings in that period are £4,250 or more.

Company directors – usually form P11D

Use form P11D for almost all company directors. Only use form P9D if all of the following apply:

1. they earn at a rate of less than £8,500 per year, and
2. they do NOT own or can control more than five per cent of its ordinary share capital and
3. they are a full-time working director

Training and Course Fees

July 28th, 2011

Work related training:

If an employer pays for staff training, or reimburses an employee training costs, any benefit to the employee is not subject to tax.

An employee is generally unable to claim training costs as deduction for their own tax if the employer does not reimburse his costs.

Recent case law indicates that training costs will be deductible in the employee’s hands if training is part and parcel of the employee’s job specification.

The term “work-related” is defined very widely; it can include anything from a first aid course to a motivational team building activity course.

Other (non work related) training costs:

Training not related to the employees’ duties are taxable as benefits in kind for higher paid employees or taxable as earnings if employer reimburses employee (all employees).