Free Consultancy Offer to Small Businesses Facing Legal and Admin Confusion

Looking for some fleet advice following confusing messages about WLPT and OpRA? Look no further than our free fleet consultancy service for SME’s. We’ll help you relieve your fleet headache.

Small businesses currently face a barrage of confusing and bewildering legislation and admin. Not to mention the impact of the new Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), the Optional Remuneration Arrangements (OpRA) governing salary sacrifice, and many more.

Fleet decision-makers are currently wrestling with the right vehicle selection for their fleets. Now especially thanks to changes brought by the WLPT emission test. In many cases, HR decision-makers are still dealing with changes brought in by OpRA, which affect salary sacrifice schemes.

The current state of the legal framework affecting fleets has provoked paralysis in many cases. With this comes business unsure what to do next or even what cars to order. This is why we’re offering free consultancy to small businesses; to help them steer a path through the confusion and make the right policy decisions for their fleets.

The small businesses, typically having less than 300 employees, will be informed on the most appropriate fleet policy for them. During August and September, any SMEs wanting free and impartial advice can sign on here by emailing: marketing@fleetevolution.co.uk

Andrew Leech, Managing Director, says:

“I’ve met with a number of small businesses recently. Most of which are confused by the new legislative changes around the OpRA rules affecting salary sacrifice car schemes. Also, the issue of WLTP and the CO2 gap is becoming apparent between the correlated values. Particularly under the old NEDC regime and those under the new WLTP test.

Many we have spoken to are unaware that the new WLTP tests will apply to all new car production from September. As a consequence, their drivers could face increases in their CO2 emissions-linked company car tax bills. This is due to the discrepancies between the old and the new tests.”

From April 2017, those using the scheme pay benefit-in-kind tax on a calculation of the cash equivalent of the car. Where the car is a ULEV, with an emissions rating of 75g /km of CO2 or less, there’s no change.

The cash equivalent is the higher of the current emissions-based calculation or the gross salary surrendered for most vehicles. This means that most low to mid-range emissions vehicles will only see minor changes whilst ULEVs are completely unaffected.

“An overwhelming number of cases show there has been little/no increase in the amount employees pay for their new cars. Moreover, salary sacrifice should continue to feature as a valuable employee benefit going forward. However, for many small businesses, this message does not appear to be getting across.”

Our expertise in fleet, IT and HR allows us to offer advice and identify opportunities across a number of disciplines.

We will go through small businesses current strategies and policies with them, recommending any changes that we identify.

Every consultancy will generate a report for the business to act on instantly. Or if they prefer, they can learn how we can help them implement new policies. Although there’s absolutely no obligation if they prefer to continue to do it in house.

If you’re interested in free fleet consultancy or know someone in your company who may be, be sure to contact us while the offer is running and we’ll be happy to help.