All articles by Nic Paton – Page 9

  • Analysis

    How to run a company car fleet tax-efficiently

    2009-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Recent tax legislation has opened up new potential savings for company car fleets, says Nic PatonCase study: DeloitteIt may well be, to quote Benjamin Franklin, that nothing is certain in life except death and taxes. But for company car fleet managers at least, recent legislation means that, with careful planning ...

  • Analysis

    Keep mileage claims under control

    2009-09-01T00:00:01Z

    Making sure employees' mileage claims are accurate can keep employers' fuel costs under control, says Nic PatonIf you read nothing else, read this...Mileage capture schemes can reduce fraudulent claims and help with HM Revenue and Customs compliance.Recognise that not all mistakes will be down to fraud.Employers should spend time communicating ...

  • Article

    Cutting vehicle fleet costs

    2009-05-01T00:00:01Z

    Extending the period or mileage of a fleet contract might seem a sensible cost-efficient measure, but increased maintenance and other factors could outweigh any savings, says Nic PatonIn March, telecoms giant Vodafone told its 10,000 UK employees that, along with scrapping pay rises and ditching bonuses this year, anyone driving ...

  • Analysis

    Managing fleet risk in the public sector

    2009-01-01T00:00:01Z

    New health and safety legislation will have a significant impact on fleet managers, particularly in the public sector if an organisation’s employees use their own cars for work travel, says Nic PatonMuch has been said about the need for employers to manage risk more closely after the Corporate Manslaughter and ...

  • Analysis

    Lloyds TSB's proposed merger with HBOS could create fleet giant

    2008-12-01T00:00:01Z

    Lloyds TSB's proposed merger with HBOS would create the country's biggest fleet management player and rationalisation is inevitable, but there should still be plenty of competition, says Nic PatonOne of the less remarked-upon aspects of the agreed £12bn merger of Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), has been ...

  • Article

    Buyer's Guide: Fleet Management

    2008-10-01T00:00:01Z

    Looming green taxes, rising fuel costs and corporate responsibility legislation are all forcing employers to think more carefully about their fleet commitments, and providers to up their game, says Nic PatonIf fleet managers haven't done so already, they should circle 1 April 2009 in their diaries with a big fat ...

  • Analysis

    Group SIPPS growing in popularity

    2008-04-06T23:00:00Z

    Nic Paton looks at group self-invested personal pensions eight years after the product's launch to gauge current market conditions and assess whether their popularity has grown as first expectedI t has taken eight years since the launch of group self-invested personal pensions (Sipps), when they were then being billed as ...

  • Analysis

    Checking driving licences is very important

    2008-01-01T00:00:01Z

    Checking driving licences is often viewed as a major administrative chore, but with incoming corporate manslaughter laws, doing so has never been more important, says Nic PatonWith the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 coming into force this April, the need to ensure that employees driving on business have ...

  • Analysis

    Employee benefits in the United States of America

    2007-09-30T23:00:00Z

    The US generally prefers to let the market decide its perks selection, and because of this element of competition a substantial baseline offering is still is needed in the management of talent, says Nic PatonIt is often said that America and England are two countries divided by a common language. ...

  • Analysis

    Are the days of using fixed-term contracts to drive down benefits bills numbered?

    2007-04-29T23:00:00Z

    The use of fixed-term contracts as a perks-busting measure seems to be on the wane, as new laws and different attitudes take hold, says Nic PatonThe days when employers used fixed-term contracts as a way of driving down their benefits bill appear to be, if not completely eradicated, certainly numbered.The ...