Rules for vans

Light commercial vehicles, including double-cab pick-up trucks with payloads in excess of 1000kg, are classed as a benefit in kind if they are also provided for private use. Unlike cars, tax on use of commercial vehicles provided by an employer is levied at a flat rate.

Currently this is £3000 if the van is less than four years old at the end of the tax year. Therefore a basic rate taxpayer would owe the treasury £600 a year, while a higher rate taxpayer would have an annual bill of £1200.

It is possible that in the future the Government will move towards a CO2-based system for taxing commercial vehicles, but no plans have yet been revealed.