Member Article

UK workers 'fiddle £1bn expenses'

Workers in Britain reap about £1bn from ‘expense claims’, according to a new investigation conducted by Travelodge. The 4,000 person survey showed 22% of workers admitting that they regularly fiddle their company expense claims. Pay-per-view films at hotels, alcohol and clothes were common claims. Neutering a cat, a holiday at Disneyland and a pregnancy test kit were among the odder ones.

The research found that on average workers get nearly £15 per claim, or £175 per year, but only 4% of those surveyed have been caught out. Around 5% of British workers admitted to using their expense account to impress the opposite sex, and 8% of businessmen took the liberty of claiming cash for pay-per-view television channels in hotels. According to Travelodge, men are more likely to claim for alcohol on expenses than women.

Guy Parsons, chief operating officer at Travelodge, said: “Our research certainly highlights some outrageous flouting of expenses claiming policies. “But it is everyday claims that are being manipulated on a more regular basis. Extra mileage claims or the odd bottle of wine whilst entertaining can really rack up a business’ bill over the year.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .