ICFM’s James Langley acknowledged the vast difference between a structured ECO scheme and cash handout at last week’s BusinessCar Conference, but criticised some ECOs that are so structured that the owner feels like they run a company car.

Langley also highlighted to the audience of decision makers cases where drivers take the cash for a vehicle and then demand more money for using it on work business, or are reluctant to use it for work at all. “It’s difficult to explain to employees that the allowance actually includes a proportion of business miles.”