Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to review the Approved Mileage Payment Allowance for volunteer drivers.

Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee’s expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle.

AMAPs are intended to create administrative simplicity and certainty by using an average rate, which reflects vehicle running costs including fuel, servicing and depreciation. Fuel is therefore only one component. As an average, it will necessarily be more suitable for some drivers than others. This may vary across sector.

The AMAP rate also applies to volunteers. Organisations do not need to use the AMAP rates. Instead, they can reimburse the actual cost incurred when volunteer drivers can show evidence of the expenditure, without a tax liability arising. Or they can agree to reimburse a different amount, such as a higher or lower rate.

Any reimbursement above the AMAP rates would be subject to Income Tax unless the driver can show evidence of the expenditure. As volunteer driving does not count as employment for NI purposes, volunteers do not need to pay NICs on profits made from volunteer driving.

Like all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps the AMAP rate under review.