Can I claim for tools bought on finance?

It’s common practice for mechanics and other trades people to buy tools and toolboxes through a finance agreement.

Tool providers provide finance agreements so the cost of expensive tools and tool storage can be spread over a period of time.

For the purposes of claiming a tool tax rebate on the cost of an item purchased through a finance agreement a claim can be made in the tax year in which the item is initially purchased.

The tax office class the purchase being made in the tax year the agreement is signed and not when the item is fully paid off. You don’t need to wait until the item is paid off in full through the finance agreement before making a tool tax rebate capital allowances claim.

Tool finance agreement interest tax relief

In addition to a claim for capital allowances on the cost of an item tax relief is available on the interest paid through a finance agreement. This is a separate claim to capital allowances and can be made at the same time or after your tool and toolbox tax rebate claim.

Reviewed by Tony Shanks, Operations Director Tax Rebate Services and member of Association of Tax Technicians (ATT)
Tool tax refund calculator

It doesn’t matter what your job is if you buy tools for work you can claim a tax rebate. Just enter the total of how much you’ve spent on tools to get your tax rebate estimate.

£
Mechanics tax rebates
If you do not have receipts your ‘Flat Rate’ claim can be backdated for 4 tax years and is worth £120 per year…
A tools tax rebate is available to all mechanics who buy the tools they use for work themselves, when they are not reimbursed by their employer…
£900 is the average tax refund amount we get for our clients that are mechanics making an initial claim…
You have to play your part in the process by submitting a tax rebate form or using the correct section of the self assessment process…
Tool tax rebates

If you are paid under PAYE, tools are tax deductible because you can claim Capital Allowances which gives you tax relief on what you have bought…

The tax relief regulations are very specific about eligibility criteria. And the Capital Allowances rules are not exclusively for self employed taxpayers…

If you are claiming back capital allowances for the actual cost of your tools there is no HMRC limit to how far back you can claim a tool tax rebate…
The amount you get for a tool tax rebate is dependent on several factors, including: how much you earn, how much tax you pay, how much you have spent on tools, what evidence you have to support your claim…
Types of tool tax rebate
Yes, you can claim the tax back on tools you have bought for work…
These can be actual items, like machinery, vehicles or equipment; or intangible things, like patents, or intellectual property…
The government has set up a system of tax reliefs and allowances for work expenses to make the system fairer for taxpayers…

HMRC’s rules state that capital allowances should be claimed within your self assessment tax return (Section 3i and ii, CAA 2001)…

Tool tax rebates other expenses and tax returns
Yes, you can claim a tool tax rebate and a uniform rebate all at the same time…
Yes, if you have to complete a tax return you must enter your tool expenses on your return…
Yes, you should submit a tax refund claim for tools, fuel and anything else that applies to you all at the same time…
Yes, even though you may now be self employed, you can still potentially claim tax relief for when you were employed under PAYE…