New research by the TaxPayers' Alliance reveals that councils are paying their staff millions more than they should in mileage payments. HMRC has an approved rate for mileage payments, and yet 173 councils are giving their employees above that rate.
The TPA first exposed this needless waste of taxpayers' money back in 2011, and some councils have shown that reducing their mileage payments to the approved rate is an easy way of saving millions without affecting any council services. However, too many still pay above what they should, costing taxpayers millions and unfairly redistributing money to public sector employees.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has even told councils to stop doing paying above the approved rate for the past five years.
This research has the figures for every council in England, Scotland and Wales, including the overall amounts spent on mileage payments and the rates paid.
The TPA first exposed this needless waste of taxpayers' money back in 2011, and some councils have shown that reducing their mileage payments to the approved rate is an easy way of saving millions without affecting any council services. However, too many still pay above what they should, costing taxpayers millions and unfairly redistributing money to public sector employees.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has even told councils to stop doing paying above the approved rate for the past five years.
This research has the figures for every council in England, Scotland and Wales, including the overall amounts spent on mileage payments and the rates paid.
John O'Connell, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:
"Driving is extremely expensive in Britain thanks to sky-high rates of fuel and vehicle excise duties, but there's no excuse for councils to pay over-the-odds. It's simply not credible for councils to plead poverty and raise council tax while paying excessive mileage rates, especially when the government has told councils to rein in these payments for the past five years. No local authority should be paying more than HMRC's approved rate."