Mid-year 'cost of living' payment

I have been asked to look into giving staff gift vouchers for supermarkets etc rather than a one-off cash payment through payroll. One of our directors has said that we can give up to £300 in vouchers tax-free, the articles I have found on Google indicate the figure is £50 tax-free. Has anyone else explored this as an option please? I'd welcome your comments if so.

I have been asked to look into giving staff gift vouchers for supermarkets etc rather than a one-off cash payment through payroll. One of our directors has said that we can give up to £300 in vouchers tax-free, the articles I have found on Google indicate the figure is £50 tax-free. Has anyone else explored this as an option please? I'd welcome your comments if so.

I've also been looking in to supermarket vouchers recently.

They are only 'trivial benefits' (non-taxable) if they are £50 or less. As far as I am aware, the £300/year limit only applies to directors or other office-holders of ‘close companies’ (a ‘close company’ is ‘under the control of 5 or fewer participators/associates or under the control of directors and their associates’).

The voucher can’t be exchangeable for cash, can’t be as a reward for performance at work, and can’t form part of the employee’s contract.

I also don't think you can give vouchers regularly (every month, for example), or it starts to look like they are being given in lieu of salary.

Hi thank you. I've now found this one too which indicates that we can give a series of £50 vouchers tax-free hence a £300 payment split across 6 months' worth of £50 vouchers - www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-trivial-benefits
which our Finance Director seems to think is ok