My limited company owns a van. Can I claim the HMRC mileage rates on the business miles the van does, or is it only allowable if I use my personal van for limited company business? If the company owns the van, does that mean that I can only claim actual expenses and the cost of the van? 

Arthur replies: 

The 45p/25p per-mile ‘approved mileage allowance payments’ (AMAPs) are only available when an employee (including a director) uses a privately-owned car or van for company business. Once the van is recorded on your limited company’s balance sheet, the AMAP scheme stops applying; instead, the company deducts the actual running costs (fuel, insurance, servicing, repairs, road tax, etc.) and claims capital allowances on the van’s purchase price. If the van is kept business-only (or qualifies as a ‘pool van’), there is no benefit-in-kind (BIK) charge on you; if there is any private use, the fixed annual van-benefit charge becomes taxable.