If I incur expense obtaining food and accommodation?
Refreshment and subsistence allowances were abolished on the 1st April 2003. They were replaced with a receipt-based reimbursement of actual expenses incurred, provided the expense incurred was reasonable [1].
Owing to the difficulty in obtaining a receipt on all occasions the JBB negotiated with the force a local agreement that claims for reimbursement up to a prescribed sum would not require a receipt. This prescribed sum is subject to annual increase and is the same as incidental expenses [2].
Whenever possible police officers should avoid being out of pocket. If you are aware you will be required to do duty away from your normal station [3] and are likely to incur expense in securing accommodation or obtaining food, you are entitled to be given, on request, an advance to cover the probable expense [4]. If you elect not to seek an advance, you are entitled reimbursement for the actual costs incurred in securing the food and accommodation on production of a receipt [5].
To reduce your costs the JBB encourages you, whenever possible, to ensure your Area Command make suitable arrangements, at least as far as accommodation is concerned, when you are required for duty away from your normal station.
As a police officer, subject to the exigencies of duty, you are entitled to a refreshment period of 45 minutes in a normal 8-hour tour of duty [6].
If, as a result of being recalled to duty for a period *(exceeding 2 hours) or as a result of being retained on duty for a period *(exceeding 2 hours), you incur expense in obtaining a meal, you are entitled to claim, either up to the locally agreed un-receipted sum [2] or the cost of the meal, provided the expenditure is reasonable and backed by a receipt [7].
*Exceeding 2 hours - This was the qualifying period for payment of the historic refreshment allowance. This force considered it appropriate to retain the qualifying period.
[1] Regulation 35 Police (Scotland) Regs 2004 Annex V (3)(a)(b) and (c)
[2] Force Reference Document E11
[3] Regulation 35 Police (Scotland) Regs 2004 Annex V (3)(d)
[4] Regulation 35 Police (Scotland) Regs 2004 Annex V (3)(e)
[5] Regulation 35 Police (Scotland) Regs 2004 Annex V (3)(c)
[6] Regulation 22 Police (Scotland) Regs 2004 Annex E (1)(c)(ii)
[7] Regulation 35 Police (Scotland) Regs 2004 Annex V (3)(b)
