‘Need for Speed’ on action to raise mileage allowance rate, insist BASW
Dramatically rising fuel costs has forced the government’s hand to urgently implement a long overdue increase in the non-taxable mileage allowance rate, according to BASW.
The current amount that local authority social workers can claim back from their employer before it is subject to income tax is 45p a mile, which has shockingly remained unchanged since 2011. Not only has it been significantly eroded by inflation, but it fails to adequately reflect higher fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance, and depreciation.
Members have frequently flagged this problem with BASW and the financial pressures it creates, prompting it to be one of our priority asks that we campaigned on ahead of the General Election. And only a few weeks ago, the Chancellor indicated that she may finally be prepared to act on it.
But with no further detail forthcoming, BASW Interim Chief Executive, Professor Sam Baron has again written to the Chancellor seeking an update without any more delay. Professor Baron insists that raising the allowance to 60p a mile would “reflect the real cost of using personal vehicles for work and provide essential support to staff who rely on their cars to deliver vital services in communities across the UK.”
The full letter is available to read below.
Nobody should be penalised at the pumps for doing their job, but that is exactly the situation facing social workers up and down the country just now, with those in rural areas even more acutely affected. Furthermore, given that NHS professionals will benefit from a higher rate in June, there is now serious disparity emerging between social workers employed by the NHS and those working in local authorities.
BASW will ensure that members are kept informed of the response we receive from the Treasury on this matter and any subsequent campaigning that needs to happen to bring about change.
