We all accept that taxes are something that we have to pay but none of us really likes doing it. Therefore, it we can find a legitimate way to claim back some of this money from the tax man, this is a real advantage. In the United Kingdom (U.K.), one way that many people could be entitled to a tax rebate without realizing it is if they wear a uniform for work. But what are the rules and how can you gain a rebate?
Wearing a uniform
In this context, a uniform is a pretty loose term. It doesn’t have to be a full suit or a specialist outfit, it can be something as simple as a branded T-shirt. But if you have to wear it for work and your employer doesn’t offer facilities to launder it, then you could be entitled to a tax rebate towards the cost of cleaning your uniform at home.
To be eligible for the rebate, you have to purchase, clean, repair or replace the uniform yourself. You also can’t already be receiving some form of compensation from your employer for maintaining your uniform – so if you get pair extra or a periodical bonus for this, you can’t also claim for uniform tax refund.
Obviously, you have to have paid income tax to be able to claim something back for the cost of maintaining your uniform. And there are a few jobs where it is automatically taken into account and included on their tax code – the armed forces are the main example so their tax-free allowance already includes the adjustment for maintaining their uniforms. Some police forces do the same, the Metropolitan Police in London is an example. If in doubt, check with your employers to see or with HMRC.
How much can you claim?
The amount of money you can claim for your uniform maintenance does vary between professions, say experts Tax Returned Limited. There is a standard flat rate expensive allowance known as FREA that is currently £60 per year so if you pay the normal 20% tax rate, you can claim back £12 while those on a higher 40% tax rate can claim back £24. There’s no need to record anything to claim this.
You can also go back up to four years for this money so if you have been wearing and maintaining a uniform since 2012 (at the time of writing) you can claim this amount for that time. This would net you £60 on the basic tax rate.
If you have a higher than average amount of uniform and higher corresponding costs for your laundry, then you may be eligible for a higher rebate. There is a special form to complete for this and you do need to prove you have paid out higher than average amounts to be able to increase your claim amount.
Other things you can claim for
For some professionals, their uniform isn’t the only thing that they may be entitled to claim a tax rebate for. And some professions have a higher amount of money to claim back due to the requirements of their job.
Top of the list are cabin crews – the allowance for their uniforms is £744 a year so if you are on the basic tax rate, you can claim back £144 per year for laundering your uniforms. There are also other expenses you can claim for. Visas is one example if you are required to have them for your job while the same applies to vaccinations. If you need them for countries that you travel to as part of your work, then you can claim back the cost of these as a tax rebate.
If you work on a flight deck or are a pilot, then other examples include noise cancelling headsets that are required. You can also claim for the cost of subscription to the British Airline Pilots Association. You need to provide receipts for all of these expenses to show that you have paid out for them in order to claim them back.
Tools tax rebate
In a similar way, you can claim a rebate for uniform washing tax and also a tools tax rebate if you work in some professions where you are required to buy tools for your job. Examples of these include a mechanic’s tools, knives for a chef or scissors for a hairdresser. If you cannot do your job without these tools and your employer doesn’t provide them or pay for them, then you may be entitled to a tax rebate for the cost of them.
Similarly, if you are required to wear protective clothing and have to purchase this yourself, then you can may be able to claim back some or all of the cost of this. This includes things such as safety boots, hard hats, gloves and high visibility clothing.
Conclusion
Health workers, doctors, police officers, teachers (https://www.taxreturned.co.uk/teacher-tax-refund/) and many more professions mean you are entitled to a tax rebate for uniform laundering costs and something for other costs. There are calculators online that allow you to work out what you may be entitled to and how to go about claiming this to receive the rebate that is yours.
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