Updated Expenses Policy provides clarity on claims

Some updates to our Expenses Policy have been made to simplify some processes and reflect our new travel policy, based around sustainable travel.

The changes follow the publication of the University’s new Travel Policy, which was updated to encourage greener business travel among colleagues, such as flying less and always considering the lowest-carbon transport and accommodation.

Colleagues spending any amount on behalf of the University, regarding expenses, benefits, hospitality and gifts, are asked to read and use the updated Policy to ensure they follow the correct rules and process, as some have changed.

The main changes to the Expenses Policy are:

• All accommodation should be booked via the Travel Management Company (TMC) and not claimed back through expenses. Hotel overnight spending limits have therefore been removed from the policy as the TMC will provide the most suitably priced options for the destination. As such, hotel costs submitted to the University as a personal expense may not be reimbursed.

• Subsistence expense claims – for meals and any other necessary costs while travelling, such as parking charges, tolls, congestion charges or business phone calls – can now be greater in value, to reflect rising costs.
• Simplified rules around claiming mileage, which will see colleagues reimbursed for any miles travelled beyond their usual commuting distance.
• University hospitality – venue hire and catering – must be used for meetings and events held on campus. For external events, University hospitality should be considered in the first instance.
• Clarification around purchasing equipment to use at home, for example IT equipment. The University is not responsible for these costs.
• A new section on childcare costs, which states that colleagues can claim back the cost of additional childcare if they are required to attend a training course or conference outside of normal working hours.

No changes have been made to the process of claiming through Agresso, or to the sections on benefits, hospitality and gifts.

The Expenses Policy can be found on the Finance webpages.