Summary
Company car tax, officially known as Benefit in Kind Tax (BiK), is calculated based on the P11D value of the vehicle, its CO2 tailpipe emissions and the employee’s income tax band.
- The BiK tax rate is set by HM Treasury and usually collected through your PAYE (pay-as-you-earn).
- You can make considerable savings by choosing a low or zero emissions plug-in vehicle over an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle.
- Preferential BiK rates until at least 2025 make pure battery and efficient plug-in hybrid electric vehicles more compelling than ever.
What is Company Car/Benefit in Kind Tax?
Company car tax is a tax on the “Benefit in Kind” that an employee is receiving through the provision of a car for their personal use.
Benefit in Kind (BiK)
When a car is provided for an employee by their employer that is available for personal use, the employee must pay some tax on the effective benefit that they receive for this.
HM Treasury calculates how much benefit they receive, based on a percentage (BiK rate) of the car’s “P11D” value (see below), compared to just receiving an equivalent amount in pre-income tax pay.
The government can set BiK rates to encourage employers and company car drivers to choose vehicles with lower CO2 emissions like fully electric cars or plug-in hybrids.
P11D Value
Named after a form filed by employers and sent to the tax office with which their Pay As You Earn scheme is registered, the P11D value of a car is comprised of:
- Vehicle list price
- Optional extras
- Delivery fees
- Value Added Tax (VAT)
Employer’s National Insurance
As well as the employee paying BiK tax on their car, the employer must also pay employer’s national insurance on the car’s BiK value, this is currently set at 13.8%.
Tip: Please note this guide is referring to Benefit in Kind taxation on the cost of a company electric car. BiK is also relevant to electricity provided to charge employees’ vehicles at the workplace, although this is currently exempt (rated at 0%).
Benefit in Kind (BiK) rates as an incentive for electric vehicle (EV) uptake
With circa 50% of new cars obtained by companies, and because BiK makes a significant difference to an individual’s monthly wages, BiK represents a very potent lever available to the government to encourage adoption of the lowest emitting vehicles.
- The HM Treasury is strongly incentivising full battery electric vehicles (BEVs) using these tax rates, and offers a more modest incentive on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).
- With all BEV drivers paying just 2% in 2022-23, and the tax rate frozen until at least 2025, a further increased uptake of fully electric company cars is to be expected.
Learn more about installing workplace EV charging
Tip: The recommended reimbursement cost by the HM Treasury for electricity as a fuel is currently set at 4p per mile (for fully electric vehicles only – hybrids have AFR rates equivalent to petrol/diesel vehicles).
Tax for Electric Company Vans
If your company provides you with a zero emission van for personal use, that van is subject to a van benefit charge. This is currently set at £3,600 for the 2022-23 financial year. While electric vans used to receive a reduction on the van benefit charge, you’ll now need to pay 100% of the van benefit charge. However, the cash equivalent of the van benefit charge was reduced to £0.
Emission figures test procedure
CO2 figures used to determine company car tax rates are based on the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), which aims to accurately measure emissions and fuel efficiency.
For cars registered before April 2020, tax rates are still determined from figures based on the outdated NEDC testing procedure.
* For more information on “WLTP”, “NEDC” and more, please visit our Electric Vehicle Dictionary.
Tip: The electric range mentioned in the 1-50 g/km column is also based on the “WLTP” calculation.
Benefit in Kind (BiK) rates for cars registered after April 2020
The table below shows the percentage BiK rates, depending on vehicle CO2 emissions from conventional fuel (only >0 for PHEVs) and using WLTP figures. The table represents electric, petrol and diesel related BiK rates.
The BiK rates are frozen at the 2022-23 level for an additional 2 years, meaning for zero emission vehicles you’ll pay 2% until 2025.
Vehicle CO2 emissions |
(Electric, Petrol, RDE2 Diesel) |
||
| 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
| 0 g/km | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range >130 miles) | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range 70-129 miles) | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range 40-69 miles) | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range 30-39 miles) | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range <30 miles) | 14% | 14% | 14% |
| 51-54 g/km | 15% | 15% | 15% |
| 55-59 g/km | 16% | 16% | 16% |
| 60-64 g/km | 17% | 17% | 17% |
| 65-69 g/km | 18% | 18% | 18% |
| 70-74 g/km | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| 75-79 g/km | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| 80-84 g/km | 21% | 21% | 21% |
| 85-89 g/km | 22% | 22% | 22% |
| 90-94 g/km | 23% | 23% | 23% |
| 95-99 g/km | 24% | 24% | 24% |
| 100-104 g/km | 25% | 25% | 25% |
| 105-109 g/km | 26% | 26% | 26% |
| 110-114 g/km | 27% | 27% | 27% |
| 115-119 g/km | 28% | 28% | 28% |
| 120-124 g/km | 29% | 29% | 29% |
| 125-129 g/km | 30% | 30% | 30% |
| 130-134 g/km | 31% | 31% | 31% |
| 135-139 g/km | 32% | 32% | 32% |
| 140-144 g/km | 32% | 33% | 33% |
| 145-149 g/km | 34% | 34% | 34% |
| 150-154 g/km | 35% | 35% | 35% |
| 155-159 g/km | 36% | 36% | 36% |
| 160-164 g/km | 37% | 37% | 37% |
| 165-169 g/km | 37% | 37% | 37% |
| >170 | 37% | 37% | 37% |
Note: You should add 4% up to a maximum of 37% for diesel cars that are not certified to the Real Driving Emissions 2 (RDE2) standard.
How Benefit in Kind (BiK) Tax is calculated
BiK is taxed according to your income tax banding. In order to work out the BiK tax an employee has to pay, you need to calculate the value of the benefit in kind:
P11D value x BiK rate = BiK value
Worked example from 6th April 2022
A new Nissan LEAF Acenta has a P11D value of £28,440 and (as a BEV) emits 0g/km of CO2, putting it in the 2% BiK band (percentage rate based on its CO2 emissions).
To get the amount your company car will cost you in tax per year, you then multiply the BiK value by your income tax banding (20-45%).
In 2022-23 and 2023-24, the BiK value will be £28,440 x 2% = £568.80
- £568.80 x 20% = £113.76 per year / £9.48 per month
- £568.80 x 40% = £227.52 per year / £18.96 per month
- £568.80 x 45% = £255.96 per year / £21.33 per month
It is clear that the difference in BiK rates for employees is very significant for electric cars, when compared with a conventionally fuelled equivalent.
Comparison of BEV vs ICE from April 2022
| Vehicle | Tesla Model Y Long Range Dual Motor | Ford Mustang Mach 1 |
| P11D Value (based on list prices on car configurators) |
£54,935 | £57,075 |
| 0-60 mph | 4.8 seconds | 4.2 seconds |
| Emissions | 0 gCO2 /km | 270 gCO2 /km |
| BiK Rate | 2% | 37% |
| 2022-23 monthly BiK cost @40% tax rate |
£54,935 x 2% x 40% / 12 £36.62 per month |
£57,075 x 37% x 40% / 12 £703.92 per month |
| 2023-24 monthly BiK cost @40% tax rate |
£54,935 x 2% x 40% / 12 £36.62 per month
|
£57,075 x 37% x 40% / 12 £703.92 per month |
Which vehicle would you choose?
Tip: BiK calculations are non-trivial. The above figures are indicative and give a feel for the values. However, we recommend calculating your own figures inline with your earnings by using the HMRC’s company car and car fuel benefit calculator.
Benefit in Kind (BiK) rates for cars registered before April 2020
The table below shows the percentage BiK rates, depending on vehicle CO2 emissions from conventional fuel (only >0 for plug-in hybrid electric cars) and using NEDC figures. The table represents electric, petrol and diesel related BiK rates.
2022-23
Vehicle CO2 emissions |
(Electric, Petrol, RDE2 Diesel) |
|||
| 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | ||
| 0 g/km | 2% | 2% | 2% | |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range >130 miles) | 2% | 2% | 2% | |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range 70-129 miles) | 5% | 5% | 5% | |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range 40-69 miles) | 8% | 8% | 8% | |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range 30-39 miles) | 12% | 12% | 12% | |
| 1-50 g/km (electric range <30 miles) | 14% | 14% | 14% | |
| 51-54 g/km | 15% | 15% | 15% | |
| 55-59 g/km | 16% | 16% | 16% | |
| 60-64 g/km | 17% | 17% | 17% | |
| 65-69 g/km | 18% | 18% | 18% | |
| 70-74 g/km | 19% | 19% | 19% | |
| 75-79 g/km | 20% | 20% | 20% | |
| 80-84 g/km | 21% | 21% | 21% | |
| 85-89 g/km | 22% | 22% | 22% | |
| 90-94 g/km | 23% | 23% | 23% | |
| 95-99 g/km | 24% | 24% | 24% | |
| 100-104 g/km | 25% | 25% | 25% | |
| 105-109 g/km | 26% | 26% | 26% | |
| 110-114 g/km | 27% | 27% | 27% | |
| 115-119 g/km | 28% | 28% | 28% | |
| 120-124 g/km | 29% | 29% | 29% | |
| 125-129 g/km | 30% | 30% | 30% | |
| 130-134 g/km | 31% | 31% | 31% | |
| 135-139 g/km | 32% | 32% | 32% | |
| 140-144 g/km | 33% | 33% | 33% | |
| 145-149 g/km | 34% | 34% | 34% | |
| 150-154 g/km | 35% | 35% | 35% | |
| 155-159 g/km | 36% | 36% | 36% | |
| >160 g/km | 37% | 37% | 37% | |
Note: You should add 4% up to a maximum of 37% for diesel cars that are not certified to the Real Driving Emissions 2 (RDE2) standard.
