did you know that you are within your rights to ask HMRC for a rebate on your fuel duty.
if your vehicle is just ticking over to charge the batteries, run the fridge, run your laptop, or run the pto. then you can ask for the percentage that isn’t used for propulsion to be refunded. you will only have to pay the duty at the same rate as red diesel.
you don’t have to prove it, just fill out a declaration.
Then they will claw back the rebate, by you getting a fine from PC Plod/Environmental Health for excessive engine idling. 
I can’t find any mention of this anywhere on the IR website but obviously I’d claim if I could, does anyone have a link or more info?
Harry Monk:
I can’t find any mention of this anywhere on the IR website but obviously I’d claim if I could, does anyone have a link or more info?
i don’t have a link harry. it’s just been through research, and talking to the hmrc.
since the law changed regarding red diesel and pleasure craft, the boating fraternity got a bit confused. they can fill their boat fuel tanks with red, but have to pay duty at the same rate as road fuel for any fuel used for propulsion. it caused a lot of problems when they went on trips to holland, belgium, and france. they all implement the rules differently. so they decided to buy white diesel and get a rebate for the fuel used for everything except fuel used for propulsion.
the same is available for any vehicle.
it will take a bit of arguing because each hmrc office has its own way of doing things. although its actually been available to do since 2008, the people at my tax office didn’t realise it was possible to get a rebate until i informed them.
with modern vehicles it’s easy to work out, as they usually have a computer with all the info on it.
Not heard of this before, but I should think that you will have to have the figures checked by a qualified accountant and signed by them to say that they have checked the figures and it is correct, as is the case with claiming back duty when running buses. Unless you have a friend or family member whose a qualified accountant then it will cost a few hundred quid. I suppose if the vehicle is fitted with a tracker it is easy enough to prove how much none driving time the engine is running for.
Can anyone point me in the right direction as to what Limeyphil is drinking, I reckon I could make an absolute fortune bottling and selling it.
Sapper
this is what got me started.
rya.org.uk/infoadvice/boatin … broad.aspx
then i checked what it was about on some boating forums.
some boat users just ended up filling with white diesel, then claiming back about 30% of the duty for the fuel used for charging the batteries etc.
so i checked if the same could be done with lorries. at first it was a big “NO”. but then when i explained that a driver might park up for several hours, and sometimes for a few days in a hot country he would need to have the engine running to power the air conditioning. he might also need to have the engine running 24/7 in freezing conditions to keep the driver warm, and to prevent the diesel from waxing.
they then said that although it’s not something that they have dealt with before, there is no reason why a reasonable amount couldn’t be claimed.
it looks like it would have to be done on a one to one basis.
if you get the right person that takes an interest in these sort of things, then you’ve cracked it.
Would make a big difference to me if that’s the case.
Our trucks spend about 45 mins PTO work, on a fast idle, on every job they do (wreckers).
cieranc:
Would make a big difference to me if that’s the case.Our trucks spend about 45 mins PTO work, on a fast idle, on every job they do (wreckers).
you’ll have to go into your tax office and make the point about the 60/40 rule for boat owners. they’ll say no, but be persistent. duty is only payable for fuel used for propulsion “that’s the important bit”. they told me no when i used form p87 to claim for work related expenses. it took about 3 or 4 attempts, but i got there.
cieranc:
Would make a big difference to me if that’s the case.Our trucks spend about 45 mins PTO work, on a fast idle, on every job they do (wreckers).
Ditto for us with the bulk blowers.