i. tool
UK mileage calculator.
Work out what a business journey is worth using the current HMRC approved mileage allowance payments (AMAP). Pick the vehicle, enter the miles, and add any business miles already claimed this tax year. The calculator handles the 10,000-mile threshold for cars and vans for you.
ii.
How HMRC mileage works.
If you use your own vehicle for work, HMRC lets you claim a flat amount per business mile instead of working out actual running costs. The figures are called approved mileage allowance payments. They are intended to cover fuel, insurance, servicing, road tax and depreciation in a single number.
For cars and vans, the current rate is 45p for the first 10,000 business miles in a tax year and 25p for every mile after that. Motorcycles are a flat 24p. Bicycles are 20p. If a colleague is also travelling for business in your car, you can add 5p per passenger per mile on top.
The 10,000-mile threshold
The threshold resets at the start of each tax year (6 April). It applies to the total business miles you do across the year in cars and vans, not per journey. If you've already claimed 9,500 business miles this year and drive another 800, the first 500 of that trip is at 45p and the remaining 300 drops to 25p.
What counts as a business journey
Travel to a client, a supplier, a temporary workplace, a site visit, a conference or any meeting that isn't your normal place of work. The ordinary commute from home to your usual workplace doesn't qualify, and nor does a personal detour tacked on to a business trip.
Records HMRC expects
For each journey, keep the date, start and end points, business purpose and miles driven. If HMRC asks, you need to show how you arrived at the total. A notebook is fine. A spreadsheet is fine. An app that logs each trip and exports a clean list is easier. Records should be kept for at least five years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year.
A note on VAT and fuel
If you're VAT registered and claiming mileage, you can reclaim the VAT on the fuel element of each mile using HMRC's advisory fuel rates. You'll need fuel receipts covering at least the value of fuel claimed. The mileage allowance itself is not VATable; the fuel inside it is.
iii.
Questions.
Are the rates on this page current?
Yes. The figures are HMRC's current approved mileage allowance payments: 45p and 25p for cars and vans either side of 10,000 business miles per tax year, 24p for motorcycles, 20p for bicycles, and 5p per passenger. They have been stable for some time, but always check HMRC for the very latest.
When does the 10,000-mile threshold reset?
At the start of each UK tax year, 6 April. The count is per tax year, across cars and vans only, not per vehicle or per journey.
Can I claim for cycling to a client?
Yes, at 20p a mile if it's a business journey on your own bicycle. The same business-journey rules apply: a meeting, a site visit, a delivery — not the ordinary commute.
What if my employer pays a different rate?
If your employer pays less than the HMRC rate, you can claim tax relief on the difference through your Self Assessment or a P87. If they pay more, the excess is taxable as a benefit.
Do I need fuel receipts if I'm just claiming mileage?
Not for the mileage claim itself. You only need fuel receipts if you're VAT registered and reclaiming VAT on the fuel element using HMRC's advisory fuel rates.
How long should I keep mileage records?
At least five years after the 31 January submission deadline for the tax year the journey relates to. Keep them digital and backed up.
Laura logs each journey with date, route, miles, rate and total, keeps a running tally against the 10,000-mile threshold, and exports the lot to CSV, Excel or PDF when you need it. 14 days free, no card. Start a trial or read the guide to self-employed expenses.