THE world's largest professional services organisation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, has signed a 'strategic alliance' with Abbey National-owned Whitechapel, creator of the innovative Whitechapel employee car ownership scheme. It will boost the number of consultants trained in the complex technicalities of the scheme, under which drivers effectively own their company cars to avoid paying benefit-in-kind tax.

Whitechapel claims the scheme can save fleets up to £1,000 per vehicle per year but believes its growth has been hamstrung by the lack of expert consultants able to advise on its benefits and oversee implementation. John Mills, PricewaterhouseCoopers' partner responsible for car scheme advisory services, said: 'There are several factors including the changing tax environment and the drive for greater employee choice which mean that every organisation needs to evaluate car provision options.'