Expenses scandals are all the rage nowadays, and TomTom Business Solutions has stumbled across another one among the UK’s business drivers.
New research from the business branch of the sat nav supplier shows that 46% of drivers have over-estimated their mileage when claiming expenses, with 35% doing so regularly.
EB isn’t quite sure why people are ‘estimating’ their mileage when they have all-but-instant access to a little thing called Google Maps, but there you go.
“It is worrying that such a large proportion of UK business drivers are over-estimating mileage claims because it exposes their employers to serious financial consequences,” said Giles Margerison, Director UK and Ireland for TomTom Business Solutions.
“HMRC has the power to impose significant fines on both drivers and companies found guilty of inaccurate records, so the onus is on businesses to ensure relevant checks are in place to guarantee accuracy.”
According to the research, 70% of drivers said they found recording and submitting mileage a laborious process.
For half of those questioned, the process takes at least two hours each month, with a further 20% spending between one and two hours.
As a footnote, these figures obviously relate to company drivers who are not using an automated mileage recording system.
Either way, the fact that only 10% of respondents have been challenged by their employers over the accuracy of their claims is probably something which needs looking into. 
