Car Benefit Reduced Where Unavailable

P11d forms reporting benefits in kind provided to employees and directors need to be submitted to HMRC by 6 July. Where a company car is “unavailable” for private use for 30 or more consecutive days the benefit is proportionately reduced.

During the various lockdown periods many employees and directors have not been using their company cars and it may have been sitting on their driveway. Unfortunately, that does not count as being unavailable.

HMRC have confirmed that they would continue to regard the car as available to the employee unless the keys or fobs are returned to the employer or to a third party such as the leasing or disposal company as instructed by the employer.

Note that where the employee is provided with a motor car with zero CO2 emissions there is no taxable benefit in kind for 2020/21 although the charge increases to 1% of original list price for 2021/22.