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Purpose: To ensure all travel undertaken on behalf of Kickass Online Ltd (‘KO’) is organised efficiently, cost-effectively, safely, and in line with KO’s values and obligations.
Scope: This policy applies to all KO employees and contractors required to travel for business purposes, including client meetings, networking events, team meetups, and conferences.
Booking and Approval
- All business travel must be pre-approved in writing by the line manager or Director before any bookings are made
- Employees should seek approval as early as possible to take advantage of lower fares and availability
- Where possible, travel should be booked through KO’s preferred booking process or designated tool to ensure compliance with preferred rates and suppliers
- Last-minute or emergency travel that cannot follow the normal approval process must be approved verbally by the Director and confirmed in writing as soon as practicable
Air Travel
- Domestic UK flights should be economy class as standard. Where a train journey of equivalent or shorter duration is available, rail travel is preferred (see Sustainability below)
- For international flights of up to 5 hours, economy class applies
- Business class may be approved for international flights exceeding 5 hours, subject to prior Director approval and budget availability
- Employees should book the most direct, economical route available at the time of booking
- KO holds status with British Airways. Where this provides access to upgrades or lounge access on company-booked tickets, employees may use these benefits. Any loyalty points or air miles accrued on company-funded travel are accrued to the company account. Points accrued to a personal loyalty account from company travel may be a taxable benefit, employees should seek their own tax advice if uncertain
Accommodation
- Standard accommodation should be a 3 or 4-star hotel or equivalent, booked at a reasonable rate for the destination
- KO holds Gold Status with Hilton and Marriott. Employees should use these chains where available and practical to benefit from preferred rates
- Accommodation should be booked for the minimum nights necessary for the business purpose of the trip
- Employees must not book accommodation of a significantly higher standard than necessary without prior approval
Ground Transportation
- Public transport is the preferred option where practical and safe
- KO holds Gold Status with Avis for car hire. Where a rental car is necessary, standard or compact vehicles should be selected. Luxury or premium categories require Director approval
- Taxis and ride-sharing services (e.g. Uber) are permitted where public transport is not practical, unsafe, or unavailable
- Where an employee uses their personal vehicle for business travel, mileage will be reimbursed at the HMRC approved rate of 45p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles in a tax year, and 25p per mile thereafter. Mileage claims must be submitted with the date, destination, and purpose of each journey
Meals and Incidental Expenses
KO provides a daily meal allowance aligned with HMRC’s approved benchmark rates to avoid a taxable benefit arising:
- UK travel: up to £5 for breakfast, £5 for lunch, £10 for dinner, where meals are not otherwise provided
- International travel: a reasonable per diem based on the destination’s cost of living, confirmed by the Director at the point of trip approval
The per diem is provided in lieu of receipts for meals. Receipts are not required for individual meal purchases within the per diem limit. Expenses above the per diem, or expense categories not covered by the per diem (e.g. business entertainment, specific work-related costs), require receipts and a brief note of the business purpose.
Alcohol consumed at client entertainment may be included in an expenses claim only where it forms part of a legitimate business meal and is reasonable in the context of the occasion.
Health and Safety
- Employees must review the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) travel advisories at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice before travelling internationally, and must not travel to destinations rated “Advise against all travel” or “Advise against all but essential travel” without explicit Director approval
- KO will provide appropriate travel insurance for all business travel. Employees must confirm their travel with HR/the Director before departure so that insurance cover can be confirmed
- Employees with pre-existing medical conditions should ensure their condition is declared to the travel insurer and that they carry sufficient medication for the duration of the trip
- Any incident, accident, or emergency during business travel must be reported to the Director as soon as safely possible
Sustainability
KO is committed to minimising the environmental impact of business travel, consistent with our Environmental Policy:
- Rail travel is preferred over domestic flights where the journey time is comparable
- Economy class is the default for shorter international flights, business class upgrades should not be requested on sustainability grounds alone where the policy does not support them
- Carbon offsetting through a recognised scheme is encouraged for unavoidable flights, with costs treated as a reimbursable expense subject to Director approval
- Video conferencing (Google Meet) should always be considered before committing to in-person travel
Supply Chain
Consistent with KO’s Modern Slavery Policy, employees should be mindful of the ethical standards of travel suppliers, hotels, transport providers, and contractors, particularly when travelling internationally. Any concerns about supplier practices should be raised with the Director.
Expense Reimbursement
- All expense claims must be submitted within 5 working days of returning from the trip, using the expense claim form with receipts attached (or the mileage log where applicable)
- KO will process approved expense claims within 10 working days of submission
- Expenses that fall outside this policy, or that are submitted without adequate receipts or explanation, may be declined or queried before reimbursement
- Personal expenses, including personal entertainment, room service, mini-bar, and personal travel add-ons, are not reimbursable
Non-Compliance
Expenses incurred outside this policy without prior approval may not be reimbursed. Repeated or deliberate non-compliance may be treated as a disciplinary matter in accordance with the Disciplinary Policy.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or when KO’s travel arrangements or supplier agreements change.
Last reviewed: May 2026.