One in five employees in the UK admit that they fiddle their expenses, according to new research, costing firms millions of pounds every month.
A survey of 500 workers by recruitment outfit Pertemps found that the average figure for extra expenses being admitted to was £11 a month, although three per cent of those surveyed said they routinely claimed an extra £50 a month.
The most common way of claiming extra was lying about business mileage.
Most of those claiming extra expenses said they felt it was an unofficial perk of the job, while others saw it as a way of boosting low wages.
Pertemps’ Janet McGlaughlin said: "Fiddling expenses is a natural temptation for staff and our findings show that it's a common occurrence in companies across the country."