News

On The Fiddle

IN ITS LATEST sidelong glance at the nation's spurious expense claims, budget hotel chain Travelodge says that "cheeky" employees are swindling their bosses out of more than £1 billion a year.

Travelodge surveyed 3,000 claimants to uncover "evidence" that 18 per cent of employees overcharge their employer by an average £17 every month.

Among the more unusual items, which have been bought using the ill-gotten gains, are said to be Viagra, tap dancers, a goat (a charitable gift made via Oxfam) and "a hamster called Barry for the office".

Trying to put a serious spin on the findings, Travelodge chief operating officer Guy Parsons says: "In today's climate, companies cannot afford to splurge on ridiculous expense claims from their workers. Even everyday claims such as taxis and the odd bottle of wine can really rack up a business bill over the year."

More than 40 per cent of employees believe such fiddles are a legitimate way of earning extra cash, and more than 80 per cent feel no remorse about diddling their employers.