Central Sussex Hospitals Branch

Expenses

Claims must be made on the branch expenses form - Expenses form - Acrobat PDF version. All forms must be signed by the claimant. The following expenses may be claimed:

Travel:

All bus fares, coach fares, second class train fares and tube fares will be reimbursed.Where there is a good reason taxi fares will be reimbursed on production of a receipt. Where the use of a car would be cheaper or significantly quicker or more convenient an allowance of 35p per mile will be paid and reasonable parking expenses will be reimbursed on production of a receipt. Where more than one person intends to travel by car to the same place a supplement of 7p per mile per additional person carried can be claimed, but a mileage allowance will only be paid to one person unless there is a good reason for travelling separately. Where the individual would prefer to fly, this should be discussed with the Treasurer before any booking is made.

Subsistence:

Where accommodation and/or meals are included in an overall package (eg regional residential training courses) this will be paid directly by the Treasurer and the relevant allowances may not be claimed again. Where the individual is responsible for their own expenses they may claim the actual cost of overnight accommodation on production of a receipt and up to a maximum of £75 per night. If it is not possible to obtain reasonable accommodation within these limits, this should be discussed with the Treasurer before any booking is made. Individuals may also claim subsistence allowance of up to £27.50 per day.

Childcare (and other caring responsibilities):

The branch is committed to doing all that it can to enable every member to participate fully in the activities of the union regardless of childcare or other caring responsibilities. Where childcare facilities are provided by the organisers of the event being attended, it is expected that these will normally be used. Where such facilities are not provided or are unsuitable for some reason the detailed circumstances and needs of the individual should be discussed with the Treasurer so that the most suitable and cost-effective solution can be determined. While it is not expected that partners will automatically be responsible for providing care while an individual is taking part in union activities, partners will not be paid by the branch if they do take on these responsibilities.

Facilitators:

Where the use of a facilitator or some other special provision would enable or assist an individual to participate in the activities of the union, the detailed circumstances and needs of the individual should be discussed with the Treasurer so that the most suitable and cost effective solution can be determined.

Make-up of pay:

Every effort must be made to negotiate time off with pay before pay will be made up. Any make up of pay will require evidence of loss (from pay-slips, etc) and will not cover non contractual overtime.

Other expenses:

Individuals may also claim reimbursement for any other expense incurred on behalf of the branch. These include items purchased on behalf of the branch, telephone calls made from home, and postage. However it should be noted that the facilities agreement entitles all stewards and branch officers to free access to the Trust’s telephone and mail systems for external as well as internal use and this should be used wherever possible. Any other expenditure that falls outside the provisions of this scheme and which an individual feels it would be reasonable for the branch to reimburse should be discussed with the Treasurer before the expenditure is incurred.

Claiming in advance:

Most individuals will complete a claim form after incurring expenditure. They will therefore know exactly what they spent and what they are claiming. If for whatever reason they wish to receive the money beforehand, they are entitled to do so. In this case they must claim an estimate of their likely expenditure and indicate that they want the money in advance. On their return they must complete a second claim form setting out the full claim based on their actual entitlement, attaching receipts and refunding any overpayment. The Treasurer will send a second cheque for any balance outstanding.