SE23081 - Car benefit: meaning of available

Section 157(1) ICTA 1988

The fact that a car may be available to an employee is not sufficient in itself to establish car benefit. The car must first have been made available to that employee; see SE23050.

The word "available" is not defined in the legislation. Accordingly we apply its ordinary dictionary meaning of "at one's disposal" or "capable of being used.

See example SE23511 for examples of circumstances when we would accept that a car is not available.

See example SE23512 for examples of circumstances when we would not accept that a car is not available

See SE23501 for an explanation of the interaction between

  • the concept of unavailability, and
  • the type of period during which a car may be treated as unavailable.