Understanding Expenses & Disbursements on Invoices
In addition to service fees, some invoices include expenses or disbursements — costs that we have incurred on your behalf and are passing through. This article explains what these charges are and how to query them.
What Are Disbursements?
Disbursements are third-party costs we pay on your behalf as part of delivering your project. Common examples include:
- Cloud infrastructure costs: AWS, Azure, or GCP resource costs during development or staging (billed at cost, no markup)
- Third-party licences: Software licences, API access fees, or SaaS subscriptions required for your project
- Domain registration and SSL certificates: Charged at cost
- Travel expenses: If on-site visits are required, travel costs (rail, flights, accommodation) are charged at cost and require pre-approval from you
- Specialist subcontractors: If we engage a specialist (e.g. a security auditor, accessibility consultant, or penetration tester) on your behalf, this is passed through at cost plus a small management fee
Expense Policy
- All expenses above £50 (individually) require your pre-approval
- Expenses are itemised on your invoice with a brief description
- Receipts are available on request for all expenses
- We do not mark up cost pass-throughs unless a management fee has been agreed
- Travel is booked at economy/standard class unless you specifically request otherwise
How to Query an Expense
If you see a line item on your invoice that you do not recognise or did not approve, contact your Account Manager. We will provide the original receipt or invoice from the third-party supplier within 2 business days.