20

cars by their common employer, concessionary relief ensures that each is subject to a single rather than double charge.91 The maximum market value which can be taken for a car, whether or not it is classic, is £80,000, which may be raised by Treasury regulation;92 making the current maximum cash equivalent £28,000. Where two or more members of a family are chargeable in respect of the same car, the benefit is apportioned between them.93

17A.4.1.2    Salary Sacrifice

Section 119 (ex 157A) provides that where the employee is offered a benefit which is an alternative to the use of a car, eg a payment of £20 a year, the mere fact that this alternative is offered does not make the benefit chargeable as general earnings under section 62 (ex section 19). The point is that the offer of £20 may make the benefit taxable under section 62 and so make NIC chargeable only on £20. Section 119 prevents this avoidance.94

17A.4.1.3    The Appropriate Percentage

Until 2002 the taxable benefit varied according to the amount of business mileage done. While this was compatible with feelings of fairness it also encouraged high business mileage related mileage; the notes to the Finance Bill 1999 suggested that 300 million extra business miles were driven.

Current rules95 for car registered on or after 1 January 199896 are based on a mixture of the price of the car and a level of CO2 emissions.97 However other variables are whether the car if a diesel or a car without an emissions figure at all (eg an electric car) and the date of first registration. The lowest charge is set at 155 gm per kilometre

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