Night out money

[Boggedtoothetits]

Evening.

 

so I’m looking for a bit of advice and wondering if I’m in the wrong.

 

i have been operating a forwarder for about a year, had my fair share of ups and downs in that time but it’s starting to come together now. 

 

anyway the company I work for is moving me onto a new site 5hours away from home so need to get in digs.

Apparently they don’t pay travel time or night out money because they are coughing up for a hotel according to my manager.

 

so am I being unreasonable for wanting £25pn for being away or is this just how it is? 
 

 

what’s the going rate for working away, I feel like they are taking the p”ss 

 

 

 

 

 

[openspaceman]

  On 14/03/2025 at 19:08, Boggedtoothetits said:

Evening.

 

so I’m looking for a bit of advice and wondering if I’m in the wrong.

 

i have been operating a forwarder for about a year, had my fair share of ups and downs in that time but it’s starting to come together now. 

 

anyway the company I work for is moving me onto a new site 5hours away from home so need to get in digs.

Apparently they don’t pay travel time or night out money because they are coughing up for a hotel according to my manager.

 

so am I being unreasonable for wanting £25pn for being away or is this just how it is? 
 

 

what’s the going rate for working away, I feel like they are taking the p”ss 

 

 

 

 

 

Expand  

I've been retired nearly 10 years but on the last firm I could put up to 50 quid on a B&B and 16 quid on a meal ( and asked them not to put the two pints on the receipt), inflation since then must be running at 15%. I used a company van and fuel card. I never got extra pay for being away but tended to travel on company time.

 

Similarly the job before where I was a labour only subbie, except when I stayed in a tent ( for security of the machine) for a few days near Norwich when I got no allowance at all, so I never did it again.

[Mark J]

When I'm working away I claim up to £25 a night for food. The accommodation is paid by the company.

[Steven P]

Not sure the going rate but I don't think you are being unreasonable to ask for something - incidental expenses you wouldn't have if you went home every night.

 

Simple things like the option to make a lunch at home for say £1, or a Greggs for £5, a morning paper - get one delivered at home as usual for the family, but you might still want to be keep up to date, a pint in the bar at £7, or a tin at home for £1.50 (or whatever the hotel bar is - might be cheaper some of the dives we stayed in), all adds up as an extra expense to you. Not done weeks on site for a while but I guess mobile data should be added in too opposed to home wifies. Don't forget either the option to do laundry either so you don't go home a minger.

 

So, not unreasonable but the amount might depend on what they are offering on the hotel expenses.

[htb]

When working away from home with a group of lads who were self employed under my remit, I paid all digs. I told them to add £50 per night away which they could spend as they liked could be all food or a couple of beers, just don't get pissed or you aren't working, or eat frugally and rest is in your pocket. This was 5 yrs ago.

[eggsarascal]

In the 90's nights out were £15 on top of digs money. 

[Boggedtoothetits]

Fair play to be honest I thought it was a bit of a joke when he said it today it’s one of the big outfits up on scotland too. 
 

No wonder company’s are struggling to get operators to sit on machines with that attitude. 

[spudulike]

  On 14/03/2025 at 20:42, eggsarascal said:

In the 90's nights out were £15 on top of digs money. 

Expand  

What happened...in the 80s you could get drinks for a night out and a Chinese on the way home for £20. 

[GarethM]

Digs included breakfast, if they didn't you got a £5 for that. £7 for lunch and evening meal was £15 depending.

 

Other than that WiFi was a given, everything else was out your own pocket as per at home.

[eggsarascal]

  On 14/03/2025 at 20:56, spudulike said:

What happened...in the 80s you could get drinks for a night out and a Chinese on the way home for £20. 

Expand  

Not sure, in 97 I started for a company in Northampton, they were paying £18 a night, I was going up in the world then...