EIM31595 - Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS): PAYE settlement agreements (PSAs) and similar arrangements

Introductory remarks, common to this section of the guidance

Unlike car benefit ( EIM23000) and car fuel benefit ( EIM23700), no single body of legislation deals with ECOS. Instead, the relevant law when considering ECOS is drawn from various parts of the employment income and NICs legislation.

This guidance does not attempt to cover all relevant parts of the legislation in detail. Instead, it seeks to draw the essential aspects together in order to identify where tax and/or NICs can be payable under the normal benefits and expenses rules as they apply to ECOS.

The same principles apply to ECOS vehicles as to any privately-owned vehicles used for business travel.

Unlike the remainder of this manual, EIM31500 to EIM31599 cover both tax and NICs.

ECOS: PAYE settlement agreements (PSAs)

The main guidance on PSAs at www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/paye-settlements.htm states that “profits arising from various mileage payment schemes and other regular items arising in Employee Car Ownership Schemes” are not permitted within a PSA.

This does not mean that everything in connection with an ECOS is excluded from PSAs, but it does mean that no monetary payment to the employee can be included.

(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000).

‘Free of tax’ schemes and other special arrangements

These are not appropriate to ECOS.