Operated by: Nudge Education Ltd · Version: Dec 2025 · Owner: Finance
Expenses Policy December 2025 Review date: December 2026
Applies To: All practitioners and staff engaged with Nudge Education.
Expenses Policy December 25 1
1. Introduction
As an organisation that receives most of its income via public funding, Nudge Education is committed to using all financial resources with care, integrity, and in a manner that reflects our responsibility to the communities we serve. This policy outlines how practitioners and staff may claim expenses while delivering services on behalf of Nudge Education, ensuring that all reimbursements are fair, consistent, and demonstrably in the public interest.
Expenses must be incurred solely for the purpose of delivering high-quality education and therapeutic support to young people and should always represent the most reasonable and cost-effective option available. Claims must be evidenced, appropriately authorised, and submitted in line with the procedures set out in this document.
2. Purpose and Principles
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that:
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Practitioners are appropriately reimbursed for costs incurred during the course of their work.
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The organisation maintains financial discipline and complies with tax, legal, and commissioning obligations.
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All expense claims are managed in a transparent and auditable way.
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Public money is used responsibly and not for private or excessive benefit.
Nudge Education seeks to uphold standards set out by HMRC and applies the principle that all expenses must be wholly, exclusively, and necessarily incurred in the delivery of commissioned services.
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3. Self-Employed Subcontractors
Subcontracted practitioners are responsible for their own tax and accounting obligations under UK law. As such, Nudge Education does not reimburse mileage or day-to-day expenses separately but instead provides an activity allowance within agreed limits.
Activity Allowance for Lead Practitioners
Practitioners acting in a lead capacity will receive the following maximum allowances for face-to-face student engagement:
Ratio 1 hr 2 hrs 3 hrs 4 hrs 5 hrs 6+ hrs
1:1 £8 £10 £14 £14 £18 £22
2:1 £12 £16 £20 £22 £24 £26
3:1 £15 £19 £23 £25 £27 £29
Allowances are only payable for days where engagement has taken place or where evidenced resources have been provided to the student. Practitioners must retain and upload all receipts to a secure folder as part of routine compliance checks. These allowances are paid monthly in arrears, aligned with the self-billing process.
Supporting Practitioners
Practitioners acting in a supporting role are not eligible for the above allowance.
Mileage and Travel
Mileage costs are not reimbursed for subcontractors. These costs should be managed through your own accounting and tax returns. However, subcontractors may allocate part of their activity allowance to cover travel expenses incurred in the delivery of sessions or excursions.
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4. Employed Practitioners (PAYE)
Practitioners employed by Nudge Education are eligible to claim expenses up to the limits below. These are the maximum allowable amounts for each day, based on session duration and student ratio:
Ratio 1 hr 2 hrs 3 hrs 4 hrs 5 hrs 6+ hrs
1:1 £6 £8 £10 £12 £14 £16
2:1 £10 £13 £16 £18 £19 £20
3:1 £13 £17 £19 £21 £22 £23
Mileage
Mileage for employees is reimbursed at £0.32 per mile for the first 10,000 miles in a financial year. Thereafter, the rate reduces to £0.25 per mile in line with HMRC guidance.
Claims must be submitted via the Payhawk app using the mileage claim function. Practitioners must provide valid proof of MOT and business insurance for the vehicle used, which must be updated monthly to receive payment. Mileage is paid within 10–15 working days following approval.
For journeys exceeding 100 miles in a day, practitioners are expected to explore more cost-effective or environmentally friendly alternatives, such as rail travel, unless impractical.
5. Use of Payhawk Cards
Each lead practitioner employed by Nudge Education is issued with a virtual Payhawk card to cover approved sessional expenses. These cards are topped up monthly based on planned activity.
Expenses Policy December 25 4 The following rules apply:
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Receipts must be uploaded to the Payhawk app within 72 hours of the transaction.
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After 72 hours, a receipt is classed as late. After three late receipts, the card will be frozen until all receipts are accounted for.
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Any fraudulent or unexplained spending may result in reimbursement being required or disciplinary investigation.
Practitioners are expected to treat public money with care and restraint. These cards must not be used for personal purchases under any circumstance.
6. Additional Funding Requests
In certain circumstances such as excursions, project work, or equipment beyond standard allowance a practitioner may request additional funds. These must be approved in advance by the assigned Education Intervention Co-ordinator (EIC) and, where necessary, centrally purchased by Nudge Education.
7. Venues
Nudge Education may cover venue hire when required for education or therapeutic work. Practitioners may be asked to source appropriate venues due to their local knowledge.
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For 1:1 sessions, public spaces such as libraries or community centres should be prioritised. Private venue hire is only supported where there is a documented safeguarding or clinical reason.
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For 2:1 sessions, a maximum of £50 per day—or £10 per hour—is allowable.
Where suitable venues are unavailable, practitioners are encouraged to build external activities into the session to reduce the need for room hire.
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8. Acceptable and Unacceptable Expenditure
To support ethical use of public funds, the following are examples of acceptable expenses:
- Entry to educational, leisure or cultural venues (age-appropriate).
- Snacks or breakfast items for the student.
- Educational resources (books, stationery, games, craft items, scientific materials). Public transport fares for students and staff (with valid receipts). Internet/data charges required for session delivery.
- Vocational items (e.g., toolkits or workwear relevant to the student’s learning).
- Full student meals (when relevant to the nature of the commission).
Unacceptable expenses include:
- Staff meals unless pre-approved (e.g. end-of-intervention celebrations).
- Unhealthy or excessive snacks. Non-educational items (e.g. clothing, beauty products, gaming devices, mobile top-ups).
- Purchases not linked to session delivery or student progress. Parking fines or penalty charges.
Incentives and rewards may be considered where they form part of a structured plan agreed with the EIC.
9. Accommodation
Where work requires an overnight stay beyond an 80-mile radius, Nudge Education may cover accommodation costs if pre-approved. Staff are required to show that the expense is in the best interest of Nudge Education.
Practitioners must demonstrate that the trip is required for session delivery or safeguarding reasons.
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10. Public Transport Costs
Nudge Education supports the use of public transport for both environmental and educational benefits. This may also help students build independence and confidence.
Public transport costs for students and practitioners will be reimbursed if directly related to session delivery. Personal travel will not be covered.
Subcontractors must upload scanned tickets as part of their invoice process. Employees must submit original receipts via Payhawk.
All travel should be planned in advance to take advantage of discounted or zone-based tickets where available.
11. Induction and Training
Expenses incurred when attending mandatory induction or training events may be claimed in accordance with this policy. For subcontractors, these expenses will be added to the first invoice. For employees, they will be processed as part of the monthly payroll.
12. Monitoring and Compliance
Nudge Education carries out routine audits of expense submissions to ensure compliance with this policy. Any misuse or excessive claims will be reviewed and may lead to reimbursement requests or, in serious cases, disciplinary action.
We are committed to ensuring that every claim for reimbursement is fair, evidence-based, and demonstrates value for money in line with the public funding we are entrusted to manage.
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1.1 Change History Record
Version Date Details of Change(s) Approved By 2.0 5/12/2025 Implementation of V2 policy Brian Mair
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Document control
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Version | Dec 2025 |
| Owner | Finance |
| Status | live |
| Source file | 1. All Company/Expenses Policy - Dec 2025.pdf |