Gym membership wholly and exclusively for business?

[Clutchy]

So we already pay for 1 physio session a month for any staff who do physical work for the company, I can confidently justify this given to damage we do to our bodies. 

 

My next question is that I would like to pay for all staffs gym memberships however it looks like it would generally be classed as a benefit and therefor BIK would apply. Totally makes sense in an office. 

 

However can we not justify that it is wholly and exclusively for business use as being fit and strong for our work is paramount? 

 

Not sure if anyone has looked into this 

[pleasant]

Gym membership is classified as a benefit. 'Being fit and strong' to do the job should be a pre-requisite upon employment, not something your staff need to work up to via a gym membership. If an employee has suffered an injury whilst in your employment, then on an individual basis you could argue gym membership to recuperate would not be a benefit, but a required medical course of action, but if that were so, then your insurance would/should cover that cost anyway.

[GarethM]

I can see the argument for and against, but realistically if you're doing arb work all week I think any time down the gym would be very minimal and not worth the outlay.

 

Whilst office staff might see a benefit, how can you justify that expense to an arb team that never use it or want it.

 

Why not say cash option of £100 or however many months paid gym?.

[Mick Dempsey]

This was asked on a FB forum run by that tree business guru guy who comes on here occasionally. 
Anyway bones of it was yes, just put it through.

[Stephen Blair]

When it comes right down to it and you are ever sitting across from a Tax investigator, that’s who you have to convince.

  If they say no, you will have to pay back the tax that that offset saved you plus the interest .

[rapalaman]

Similarly (kind of) my accountant wouldn’t allow osteopath sessions to repair injuries caused whilst climbing, which almost stopped me working altogether 

[GarethM]

Isn't that also accepting personal liability aswell?.

[Mark Bolam]

I appreciate your thinking, but think you’d have a hard time convincing HMRC that being fit, strong and healthy is purely a business benefit, without any benefits to your private life outside work.

 

I spend most of my downtime beating off gorgeous honeys with a shitty stick because of my honed physique.

 

It’s a real struggle.

[GarethM]

Oh a bee keeper?