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Uniform Tax

Uniform:

If you are required to wear a uniform at your place of work that you wash and maintain, you may be eligible to claim a tax rebate for the previous 4 years. This uniform may be a police uniform, nurses attire or a simple garment with a company’s logo or name.

We will also help you obtain a tax refund for the expenses that you have paid as part of your work, in addition to a uniform cleaning allowance. In line with HMRC’s policies, you are able to claim up to 20% of any costs incurred through the purchase of any tools or equipment on behalf of your line of work.

Who is eligible?

Any person who wears a uniform, or any form of protective clothing, and is required to wash their uniform is eligible for a tax refund providing that the following conditions are met:

  • You wear a particular clothing item eg, a postman, a police officer, a doctor, a nurse etc
  • You wear a particular item of clothing for a store/ retailer and you wear branded items of clothing such as fleece jackets, T-shirts or trousers with a company logo etc.
  • Wearing a uniform to work is mandatory
  • You need to purchase, clean or replace this uniform on a regular basis
  • For the annual year which you are filing for, you must have paid income tax.

Industry sectors which may be included but is not limited to:

  • Hospitality and catering including waiters and restaurant workers
  • Cleaners
  • Retail store workers
  • Healthcare workers
  • Police officers,
  • Security workers
  • Traffic wardens
  • Cabin crew
  • Fire services
  • Builders, Electricians, Mechanics, Plumbers
  • Any individual wearing any item of clothing with their employer’s logo on

Amount of tax that may be claimed?

You are able to claim for up to 5 years, including the current financial year. The amount you can declare is dependent on the line of work you are in. Whilst the standard rate currently stands at £60, some sectors allow you to claim a much higher rate. The average claim for tax rebates is approximately between £150 and £250.

Do you work on the police force?

This profession may entail different expenses and charges which you pay to carry out your role.

For the entire expense of your Police Federation subscription, you are entitled to claim tax relief. However, for Metropolitan police, there are different rules relating to tax relief so in regards to this please contact us for further information. Expenses such as repair, cleaning or replacement of items can be considered within this type of tax refund claim. Possession and care of a police dog may also be claimed here.

Teachers:

There are various expenses which can be claimed by teachers. Evidence of these expenses must be provided for HMRC in order for your claim to be successful. A teacher’s tax rebate can be claimed for the previous 4 years and have claims refunded at an average cost of £2500.

Expenses for teachers:

  • Professional subscription fees
  • Union fees
  • Protective clothing used by science teachers
  • Travel costs not including the commute to and from work
  • Teaching books essential for work
  • Pe teachers who need to purchase equipment such as trainers, football boots, tracksuits, sportswear etc.

If you are a teacher however, have additional income such as that from tutoring you must declare it using self-assessment:

  • Payments for selling lesson plans and other resources via online websites
  • Additional income from books that you may have published
  • Software’s which you have written
  • Additional income via property renting, savings and/or investments
  • Additional income from other online sources

The rules which HMRC have implemented for declaring tax refunds on professional body fees aren’t widely known.

Tax relief can also be claimed if membership of particular unions is helpful or necessary for your work to be completed. This covers union fees for the National Union of teachers (NUT) or the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT).

  • Payments into sources such as regulator fees to a General Teaching Council may also count towards a tax refund.
  • Despite its closure in 2014, payments made to the Institute for Learning may also be claimed for up to the last 4 years.

Cabin Crew:

  • Many airlines have a privately agreed allowance for the maintenance of uniforms and equipment necessary for this job role.
  • Unite has negotiated compensatory rewards for cabin crew working for EasyJet, British Airways, Virgin, Thomas Cook, Flybe, Thomson and Monarch for a average sum of £720 a year.
  • If you are an employee of any of the companies listed above, you should check your tax coding for the following years carefully. Your new allowance should be reviewed and altered in accordance to the new rate.
  • Similar allowances may still be available for any cabin crew working for airlines who do not belong to a Unite.

Additional work costs:

  • Visas and vaccinations for overseas trips may be claimed if your airline does not reimburse you for these costs
  • You may claim up to 20% for these expenses providing you have not already been reimbursed
  • Claims can also be backdated for up to the previous four tax years

Security Guards:

Security staff are entitled to make a claim for tax relief on both general expenses and uniform expenses. A claim for tax rebate may also be made on their SIA registration fees paid to particular unions.

In order to make a claim you must have a list of locations where you have worked, evidence of travel costs, receipts for fuel, dry cleaning and SIA renewal fees. If you are claiming under a company which you had previously worked for you must provide the following documentation:

  • Copies of wage slips
  • Photo ID such as a passport or driver’s license
  • Proof of Address
  • P45
  • P60