Claiming relief for work related expenses

If your employer has reimbursed you in full for any work related expenses you will obviously be unable to make a claim for tax relief for those same expenses.

But if you have only received part of your expenses or none at all, then you can make a claim to HMRC.

In a recent press release on this topic HMRC said:

“Every penny counts at Christmas and employees eligible to claim a tax refund on any work-related expenses are being urged to do it directly through HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to guarantee receiving 100% of their claim.

Whether working in hospitality or retail, taking on a seasonal second job as a delivery driver, or even becoming Santa’s elf for the month, the most straightforward way to claim – and keep – all of a tax refund is through HMRC’s online service. A claim takes just 15 minutes.

Employees can use the online service to check eligibility and get a full list of work expenses they could claim a tax refund for, including: 

• cleaning, replacing or repairing a uniform or work clothing
• using their own vehicle for work including business mileage
• professional subscriptions they’ve paid for, that are needed to do their job”

Suzanne Newton, HMRC’s Interim Director General for Transformation, said: 

Christmas can be an expensive time of the year and for many, it could be a good opportunity to claim a tax refund on work expenses to boost finances. Latest figures show the average claim is £125 a year. But the only way to guarantee receiving 100% of your eligible refund is by claiming direct through HMRC. Just search ‘tax relief for expenses’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”