Working in hospitality actually costs you nearly £4,000 per year
The average hospitality professional spends £320 a month on work-related expenses, including lunch, commuting and stationary, according to new figures.
While the majority (84.6%) of hospitality professionals are careful to factor these expenses into their monthly budget, the sector was one of the most expensive to work in in the UK, according to a survey carried out by CV Library last month.
Hospitality professionals were asked to reveal the work-related costs they pay out each month. The average worker spends roughly £320 per month on extras, coming out at £3,840 per year.
Unsurprisingly, commuting/travel topped the list (76%), followed by lunch (52%), clothes/uniform (36%), gifts for colleagues (32%) and work social events (24%. Perhaps surprisingly, one in five respondents said they believed paying for these extras were their own responsibility, rather than their employer’s.
Lee Biggins, CEO of CV Library, however, said that on the whole, “professionals want their employers to cover some of these costs, though if they’re offering a competitive enough salary, this should cover a number of these expenses anyway.
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“Some costs such as travel can be unavoidable, but professionals must also be frugal.”
The news comes as a average salary offers within the industry have risen sharply in recent months amidst a shortage of applicants.
Around 330,000 staff currently working in the UK hospitality industry are considering leaving the UK due to Brexit, which could result in a severe shortage of staff, according to the findings of a YouGov survey published in June.
I wonder how HMRC would view this list. My understanding is that HMRC’s rules state that commuting (unless an employee is required to travel to a location which is not his/her usual place of work) is not a claimable expense. Meals (unless an employee is working at a location other than her/his usual place of employment) is not a claimable expense although it could be included as part of a salary in which case it would be taxed. If a uniform is obligatory I understand that should be an expense that falls to the employer and should not be paid for by the employee. Other clothing, unless it is safely wear (e.g. high-visibility jackets for fire marshals) would not be claimable expenses. How on earth can “gifts for colleagues” be considered a claimable expense under HMRC rule?. Social events seem to me to be a grey area. I would judge that if an employee is required to attend a social event as part of the terms and conditions of employment the cost (and tax liabilities) should be born by the employer. If attendance is optional I would say it’s fair for the employee to make a contribution.
Looking at the headline, work-related stationary should be paid for by the employer.
Hey – where can I find the original CV Library survey?