Salary Sacrifice; Beneficial Loans and Subsistence Arrangements
- HMRC have published a document which describes how salary sacrifice works and its impact on income tax, NICs, National Minimum Wage, and contributions and earnings related benefits.
- The official rate for beneficial loan arrangements is 6.25% and this will be frozen for the 2008-09 tax year, subject to review in the event of significant rate changes.
The income tax paid by an employee on a subsidised loan provided by their employer is based on the difference between the interest rate actually charged and what is known as the ‘official rate’ of interest.
- HMRC have published new tables of benchmark scale rates that employers can use to pay accommodation and subsistence expenses to employees whose duties require them to travel outside the UK. Full details are in the Employment Income Manual at EIM05250 onwards.