If your business runs a fleet of vans or personal cars are used by you or your employees to keep your company running, then you might not think you can apply for a fuel card. However, even if your business doesn’t have any vehicles on its asset list, you can benefit from everything fuel cards have to offer. This article will explain how.
What criteria do you need to meet to get a fuel card?
Business fuel cards can offer a range of benefits, including greater control and visibility over fuel spending. However, if you’ve never used one before and don’t have a company car, you might think you can’t take advantage of them. In fact, fuel cards can be purchased and used by any type of business. This means, whether you’re a plumber, logistics firm or even a homeless shelter, you can apply for a fuel card as long as you’re operating as a:
- Sole trader
- Limited company or public limited company (PLC)
- Partnership
- Charity or not-for-profit
However, fuel cards can’t be used for personal petrol or diesel purposes, so don’t try and make an application if that’s your intention. As long as you’re planning on using a fuel card only to keep your business vehicles running, then you’ll meet the criteria to apply for and use them.
What vehicles can you use your fuel card for?
You can use your fuel card to buy petrol or diesel for any vehicle that’s being driven or used for business purposes. So, whether you have a flatbed van, saloon car, tractor or motorbike, as long as you use it to travel or complete tasks for your company (not including your commute to and from work), a fuel card can be used for vehicle-related purchases.
Depending on your specific requirements and the type of provider you use for your fuel cards, it doesn’t need to be restricted to one type or individual vehicle. Each fuel card can be assigned to a particular vehicle if required. Alternatively, an individual employee can be nominated or it can even be used as a pool card. This means you can enjoy exactly the level of security and flexibility you need.
Plus, if you’re looking to claim back any VAT on your fuel purchases but don’t have a company car, fuel cards track each transaction and make them visible through one central management system. These transactions will also be noted down and available to download in one HMRC-approved invoice, making fuel tax claims much easier.
What purchases can you use fuel cards for?
One of the main advantages of fuel cards is the protection they provide from unauthorised purchases. This is because they can only be used to buy petrol, diesel or vehicle-related items, such as AdBlue, screen wash or oil, that will be consumed as part of business-related activities.
In addition, because a fuel card tracks every transaction and can be linked to a specific vehicle or employee, business owners have complete visibility over how the money on each card is spent. Limits can also be set on each card to protect your business’s fuel expenditure.
Do you need a company car to get a fuelGenie fuel card?
fuelGenie fuel cards can be used to purchase fuel or vehicle-related items for any vehicle that’s being driven for business purposes, whether that’s travelling between jobs, carrying equipment or completing tasks. In short, you don’t need a company car to apply for and use a fuelGenie fuel card.
However, depending on your needs, your fuel cards (all additional ones are free to order) can be assigned to:
- A vehicle by adding a Vehicle Registration Number
- A named driver or employee
- Your company, so it can be used as a pool card
All of these fuel cards will be linked to a single business account so your employees can fill up their engine from any of the supermarket petrol stations on our network without having to use their own personal cash or card.
Plus, from one central management system, you can track all of your business's fuel expenditure, set spending limits on cards and download one HMRC-approved invoice to attach to your tax claim. So, whatever vehicles you use for your business (whether they’re a company car or not), you can manage your fuel expenditure more easily and even save money at the pump with fuelGenie.
