Mileage you can claim or pay tax-free
The tax-free rate for cars and vans went up to 55p a mile in April 2026. See what you can be paid, or claim back.
Your answer
Enter your work miles and salary to see what you can claim.
About this calculator
For employees who use their own vehicle for work. If your employer pays less than the approved rate, you can claim tax relief on the gap.
What happens to your answers
We don’t keep them. Your answers go to our server to do the sums and aren’t stored or logged. If you copy a link to your answers, they’re in the link itself, so only share it with people you trust.
How it’s worked out
HMRC's approved rate for cars and vans is 55p a mile for the first 10,000 work miles in the tax year, then 25p. It's 24p for motorcycles and 20p for bicycles. Your employer can pay up to that tax-free. If they pay less, the gap comes off your taxable pay, which saves you tax at your highest rate.
Worked example
You can claim tax relief on £1,500, which gives you back about £300 in tax.
2026/27 tax year · car or van · 30p a mile paid · salary £40,000
| 6,000 work miles by car or van at 55.00000000000001p a mile for the first 10,000 miles, then 25p | £3,300 |
|---|---|
| Less what your employer pays you | − £1,800 |
| You can claim tax relief on | £1,500 |
| Which cuts your tax by | £300 |
Worked out using HMRC's published rates for the 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027), on a yearly basis.
Questions people ask
Does my commute count?
No. Travel between home and your normal workplace isn't work travel. Trips to clients, other sites or a temporary workplace usually are.
I'm self-employed. Does this apply?
Not as it stands. The rules for business mileage in your own accounts are different. Talk to us.
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