Hampshire Police Federation calls for increase in HMRC mileage rate for use of private cars
THE county’s officers have been encouraged to sign a petition that calls for an increase on the HMRC mileage rate for the use of private cars.
Currently, officers can claim 45p per mile, an amount that has not changed for more than a decade.
But the police federation has joined others in calling for an increase of the rate to 60p per mile.
Zoë Wakefield, Hampshire Police Federation chairman, said: ‘Officer mileage rates are set in police regulations so we have to pay what is set out. The amounts are set at the HMRC recommended levels.
‘These have not been changed since 2012 and HMRC’s own website shows that the price of fuel has gone up considerably during that period. The HMRC have separate fuel allowances for company cars which demonstrate the increase.’
The lack of any increase ‘is a serious disincentive to volunteer drivers’ given recent increases in fuel costs, the petition states.
Zoë added: ‘Our head of finance has submitted a complaint to HMRC and circulated a link through global emails to all personnel regarding an online petition to increase the HMRC rate.
‘The petition currently stands at around 19,000 signatures. The government will be required to respond to this if another signatures are reached. If we get a change in the HMRC rate then I am hopeful that Police Regulations will be swiftly amended to the new HMRC rate and we can pay a more sensible mileage rate.’
Officers wanting to sign the petition should go to: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/600966