SE23768 - Car fuel benefit: 2003/04 onwards: withdrawal of free fuel: examples

These examples illustrate the principles at SE23767.

Example 1 - one car available in the year

A car is made available to an employee from 1 June 2004 to 31 January 2005 (245 days). The car is therefore unavailable for 120 days in that tax year.

Provision of free fuel for private use commenced on 1 July but the facility was withdrawn on 31 December (i.e. 31 days early).

The fuel benefit for the full tax year (calculated per SE23766) is £1,825.

Fuel benefit charged to this employee is

  • £1,825 x (365 - (120 + 31)) / 365 = £1,070.

NB: the days when fuel was not provided for Car 1 (1 June to 30 June) are not excluded because the statutory conditions are not fulfilled later in the year. Only the days from 1 to 31 January meet the statutory conditions, and so are excluded.

Example 2 - more than one car available in the year from the same employment


Car 1Car 2
Fuel benefit (full year, calculated per SE23766)£3,000£3,600
Car available from6 April 20041 October 2004
Car available to30 September 20045 April 2005
Car unavailable (days)187178
Fuel available from1 May 20041 October 2004
Fuel available to30 September 200431 January 2005
Days when car available without fuel being available25 (6 - 30 April)64 (1 February - 5 April)

Fuel benefit charged to this employee is:

  • Car 1: £3,000 x (365 - (187 + 0)) / 365) = £1,463.
  • Car 2: £3,600 x (365 - (178 + 64))/ 365) = £1,213
  • Total for the year = £2,676.

NB: the days when fuel was not provided for Car 1 (6 April to 30 April) are not excluded because the statutory conditions are not fulfilled later in the year.

2003/04 onwards

For full guidance see the contents page at EIM23750CT.