HMRC announced the new fuel rates for company cars from 1 December 2009 (which takes account of any recent fuel price adjustments as well as the soon to be increased VAT rate).

Employers are not obliged to reimburse their employees for business fuel at these rates as long as they do not exceed them overall. Employers making or collecting payments at the superseded rate because they have not been able to change their systems in time may use their judgement on whether to make or require a second payment in respect of the same period in order to apply the new rate from its effective date. However, employers should note that under the normal rules, employees are only able to avoid the car fuel benefit charge if the amount they repay in respect of private fuel at least equals the amounts based on the rates as published.