So you have decided to acquire a company car through the company and now need to decide on how to finance it. Vans, including some pick-up trucks, are treated as plant and machinery by HMRC and are taxed differently. Please see our article on vans here.
This article looks at the technical differences. For a more simple summary version please see our article here.
1. Buying Outright
Accounting Treatment:
• Initial Recognition: The car is recognised as an asset on the balance sheet at its purchase price
• Depreciation: The car is depreciated over its useful life. The depreciation expense is recorded in the profit and loss
• Maintenance and Running Costs: These costs are expensed as incurred
Tax Treatment:
• Corporation tax and Capital Allowances: The Company can claim capital allowances on the car. The rate depends on the type of car, its CO2 emissions, and whether it is brand new. Brand-new, fully electric vehicles are eligible for 100% relief. Second-hand and hybrids <50g CO2 can claim up to 18% a year, while heavy CO2 emitters may be eligible for only 6% relief
• VAT: VAT is blocked on cars, and a company is rarely eligible to reclaim VAT
• Running Costs: These are deductible as business expenses for tax purposes, but any VAT is recoverable if you are on the standard rate scheme
Summary: If your company is cash-rich and you have no other use for the cash or do not want to incur higher tax rates by withdrawing it as dividends, this can be a good option. The various finance options come at a premium and may be more expensive in the long run.
2. Hire Purchase (HP) Finance
Accounting Treatment:
• Initial Recognition: Similar to buying outright, the car is recognised as an asset at its cash price
• Finance Liability: A liability is recognised for the amount owed under the HP agreement
• Depreciation: The car is depreciated over its useful life
• Interest Expense: Interest is recognised as an expense over the term of the agreement
• Maintenance and Running Costs: These costs are expensed as incurred
Tax Treatment:
• Capital Allowances: The company can claim capital allowances on the car, similar to an outright purchase, despite not having yet paid for it in full
• Interest: Interest paid under the HP agreement is deductible as a business expense
• VAT: VAT treatment follows that of buying outright and is usually blocked
• VAT can still be reclaimed on such costs if you are on the standard VAT scheme
Summary: Buying on HP is almost the same as buying outright, with a finance deal over time. You own it and get the same capital relief. The downside is that you will pay interest
3. Leasing
Leasing can be divided into operating and finance leases, each with different accounting and tax treatments.
Definition: A finance lease is a lease that transfers substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to ownership of an asset to the lessee. While an operating lease is whatever fails to qualify as a finance lease below. Perhaps more simply, an operating lease is a "pay-as-you-go" arrangement, and you rent the car for a fixed period.
At a superficial level, if the final payment is not worth the vehicle's value and you take out another lease rather than pay that, it would likely be an operating lease. Typically, finance leases take longer, and the lessor will not cover running costs or maintenance. Even if you do not wish to make the optional final payment on a finance lease, the leasing company would likely still be able to sell it for more than the optional payment–which helps distinguish it.
A finance lease must have at least one of the following criteria:
• Ownership of the asset transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease period
• You will want to exercise an optional purchase option at the end
• The leased asset has no alternative use to you at the end of the lease period
• The lease term covers the majority of the economic life of the car (75% is generally considered the "major part")
Accounting Treatment of an Operating Lease:
• Initial Recognition: Not recognised as an asset, so there is no depreciation
• Lease Payments: Expensed in the profit and loss account over the lease term
• Maintenance and Running Costs: Costs are often covered by the agreement, but any that are not would be allowable as an expense
Accounting Treatment of a Finance Lease:
• Initial Recognition: The car is recognised as an asset, and a corresponding lease liability is recognised on the balance sheet
• Depreciation: The car is depreciated over its useful life or lease term
• Interest Expense: Interest is recognised as an expense over the lease term
• Maintenance and Running Costs: Costs are not usually covered by the agreement, as you are expected to take ownership of the final payment. Any costs would be allowable as an expense
Tax Treatment:
Operating Lease:
• Lease Payments: Lease payments are deductible as business expenses
• VAT: It is possible to claim up to 50% of VAT on lease payments, depending on business use
Finance Lease:
• Capital Allowances: Relief via allowable depreciation instead of capital allowances
• Interest: The interest portion of the lease payments is deductible as a business expense
• VAT: It is possible to claim up to 50% of VAT on lease payments, depending on business use
Summary: Each method has its own advantages and implications for accounting and tax purposes, and the best option depends on the company's financial strategy and needs. You will likely be paying more for financing and for any agreement where you do not end up buying the car. This is because the lender is usually taking a risk on the car's condition when you hand the keys back.
4. Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) Finance
Usually not available for Companies and designed for people. These work similar to finance leases.
Accounting Treatment:
• Initial Recognition: Usually recognised as an asset equal to the required lease payments, but not the optional payment
• Finance Liability: A liability is recognised for the PCP payments
• Depreciation: If recognised as an asset, it is depreciated over its useful life
• Interest Expense: Interest is recognised as an expense over the term of the agreement
• Balloon Payment: The balloon payment (final lump sum) is accounted for as part of the liability, and it is expected to be about the same value as the car
Tax Treatment:
• Capital Allowances: If recognised as an asset, the company can claim capital allowances
• Interest: Interest paid under the PCP agreement is deductible as a business expense
• VAT: It is possible to claim up to 50% of VAT on lease payments, depending on business use
Summary: Buying on PCP combines a loan and a lease. If the company intends to exercise the option to buy at the end of the term, it should be treated as an asset. If the balloon payment appears excessive for the vehicle's value, it is presumed that the company will not exercise it.