Cars and taxis
For UK, cars and taxis, these may be reclaimed via expenses.
Hire cars may be used for business travel where public transport is not practical, using the University’s preferred suppliers.
Group A to C cars only should be used unless authorised by the Faculty/School/Service. Fuel purchased for business should be claimed as an expense.
If the period of hire exceeds 13 days, travellers must notify the insurance team by email to insurance@leeds.ac.uk. Please also see further insurance information regarding travel at: Travel Insurance | Insurance.
International car hire can be sourced locally in the country of destination and processed via expenses.
Group A to C cars only should be used unless authorised by the Faculty/School/Service. Fuel purchased for business should be claimed as an expense.
Motor insurance must be purchased on all International Car hire as this is not within scope of the University’s Travel Insurance policy. It is permissible to pay an extra premium to waive the motor policy excess Vehicle should always be hired from reputable multi-national companies wherever practical.
For short term car hire in and around Leeds and where public transport is not a viable option, Enterprise Car Club can be used. There are 3 Enterprise car club vehicles on campus including a new Electric vehicle on Cavendish Road.
Fuel is only reclaimable for hire cars. For clarity, it is not reclaimable for use of the traveller’s personal vehicle. (Individuals using their own vehicle for business purposes may claim a mileage rate in accordance with the details below.)
Use of the traveller’s personal vehicle is allowed when public transport could not be used to complete the journey in a reasonable time and when pay as you go cars and hire cars are less economical to the University.
However, the traveller must hold a valid driving licence, have occasional business use cover on their motor insurance, and ensure there are no medical reasons why they should not drive/ride.
The following car mileage rates will be reimbursed via the expenses:
- Up to £0.45 per mile maximum: First 10,000 miles in any tax year.
- £0.25 per mile: Over 10,000 miles in any tax year.
- £0.25 per mile: If public transport could have been used to complete the journey in the same time.
The University may reimburse at a lower rate if a private car is used for a journey and it would have been cheaper for the University to pay for a hire car for business use or if public transport could have been used to complete the journey in the same time.
The University has no liability for private vehicles used for University business purposes.
A rate of 5p per mile will be reimbursed to the driver via expenses when carrying fellow travellers for whom the journey is also business travel.
Car parking and toll charges may be claimed for the actual expense incurred and with the original receipt/proof of purchase.
(Car parking cannot be claimed at the normal place of work / study unless incurred necessarily as part of an ongoing journey.)
Parking, speeding and driving fines will not be reimbursed.
Taxis may be used abroad and are encouraged if the traveller is arriving late at night and is unfamiliar with the local area. Travellers should use a reputable pre-booked taxi service, where possible. Pre-booked taxis can be booked via Key Travel in some parts of the world.
Where University owned vans/departmental vehicles are provided for the purpose of carrying out their duties, the user is not permitted to use the vehicle privately. Any breach of this rule will be regarded as a serious disciplinary offence.
If University-owned equipment is carried in a vehicle, they should take care to ensure it is not stolen, lost or damaged while in their custody and is not left unattended in their vehicle. If an item is insured by the University under the self-insurance scheme it is covered during transit/use elsewhere in the UK. If this cover is not in place or if cover is needed for outside the UK, the Insurance Office can arrange temporary cover.
Should any loss, damage, or theft of University-owned equipment occur it must be reported as soon as is practicable to the Executive Dean or Head of School/Service.