The ten most ridiculous expense claims

When it comes to making expense claims, there’s usually a set of rules within a business that identify what can and can't be claimed for.

Yet, despite many organisations having policies and criteria in place, there are still a surprising number of employees who submit expenses that are so ridiculous, even the most brazen of businesses would have a hard time justifying them.

In this article we outline, in no particular order, 10 examples of, frankly, outlandish claims made by employees.

From booking first class airline tickets to using the company coffers to fund a gambling habit, it's surprising – and alarming – just what people try to claim for. Make of them what you will.

1. A carpenter claimed £900 for purchasing a 55-inch TV and soundbar to help him price his jobs.

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2. A business owner claimed for luxury watches as Christmas gifts for staff, despite the company having no employees.

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3. A painter and decorator bought a pair Armani jeans, putting them down as protective clothing. 

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4. Speaking of inappropriate clothing, Christmas tree pyjamas have been cited as a legitimate business expense.

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5. One person claimed for a second monitor on the basis of “I have two eyes”.

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6. A man put the drum kit he’d bought his son through as a company expense. In addition to the Breitling watch he’d just bought.

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7. A journalist claimed £400 in mileage expenses for four journeys he made. By bus.

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8. An alleged business meeting was held at a lap dancing club.

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9. A business owner tried to put through 250 days’ worth of sausage and chips. 

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10. Finally – and given the silliness of it, we will name names – British politician, Jeremy Hunt claimed for a 12-second phone call costing just one penny.

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While the list goes on, there are lessons that can be learnt here. Using outdated and inefficient expense processes can mean it’s all too easy for claims to be signed off before being vetted properly. 

What’s the alternative?

Using a digital expense management platform, employee claims are automated, so are sent through to the right person or department first time. Once received, they can be accepted and signed off with a one click approval. 

If there’s a query about the claim, it can be sent back to the employee for clarification and any missing receipts can be requested automatically. If, however, it falls outside the company expenses policy, the claim can be rejected instantly. 

There’s an app for that

To make life simple, some digital expense platforms have an app that staff can download to their smart phones so they can input their claims on the go.

This takes the hassle out of keeping hold of receipts (which can easily get lost) and filling out paperwork by a set day, or risk being out of pocket until next month.

Mileage and invoices can also be logged, making life easy for the employee and transparent for the business. 

Real-time updates

All employee expenses are automatically added to the company’s overall spend and synced with the company’s accounting system, giving an overview of where company expenditure is up to at any given time.

In essence, expense management platforms offer a powerful antidote to the drain on resources bogus claims place on accounts department and, ultimately, the business.