How to claim your Tax Rebate from HMRC

The way in which you claim a tax rebate from HMRC depends on the type of refund you are trying to claim back.

It is important to follow the correct process to make sure you receive your tax rebate with the least amount of hassle.

Understanding the best way to claim your tax rebate from HMRC helps you avoid making costly mistakes and gets your tax refunded in the quickest time possible.

In many cases you should be able to claim a tax rebate yourself through the relevant HMRC process.

How to claim a tax rebate for work expenses

A claim for employment expenses needs to be submitted on an official HMRC form called a P87 or on a self assessment tax return.

The value of your claim does affect how a tax rebate claim for expenses has to be made. For claims under £2500 in a single tax year only a P87 form should be necessary.

If you claim for job related expenses which have a value of £2500 or more you will generally need to complete a self assessment tax return.

The £2500 threshold applies to a single tax year. So if you have a claim for more than one tax year and only one year has a claim value of £2500 or more you will only need to submit one tax return.

Tax rebate claims with a value of less than £2500

Complete a P87 for employment expenses worth less than £2500 and you are not in self assessment for another reason.
Submit a self assessment if your expenses are worth less than £2500 but you are already in self assessment for another reason. A P87 should not be completed and your job expenses included in the relevant employment section of your tax return.

Tax rebate claims with a value of £2500 or more

If your claim is for £2,500 or more, you will need to fill in a Self Assessment tax return. If you have not registered for self assessment in the past you can contact the Self Assessment Helpline on 0300 200 3310 or you can register online with HMRC.
If your claim is for £2500 or more and you already have a self assessment record and the year of your claim is not already open in self assessment you will need to ask HMRC for it to be opened.

A second tax rebate claim for expenses

You can make a claim for expenses over the phone if you have made a successful expenses claim in a previous tax year.
To be allowed the expenses being claimed must be for a value of less than £1000 or £2500 if you are claiming for professional fees or subscriptions.
If the values are for more than £1000 or £2500 you will need to submit either a P87 or claim through your self assessment tax return.

The type of expenses that should be entered on a P87 include:

How to claim the Married Tax Allowance

The married tax allowance is available to people who are married or in a civil partnership.

How much you and your partner earn affects your eligibility so it’s best checking before you claim.

Claim your marriage tax allowance:

Claim the married tax allowance online directly with HMRC on GOV.UK

Call HMRC on: 0300 200 3300

Write to HMRC at:

Pay As You Earn and Self Assessment
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1AS
United Kingdom

How to claim the Working from Home Allowance

A working from home allowance is available to taxpayers who are required to work from home and not reimbursed by their employer.

You can backdate a claim for up to the last four tax years in the same submission.

Working from home allowance

The form P87 is required if you are claiming the working from home allowance.
You can submit the P87 online directly to HMRC or you can post it by completing the P87 online and then printing it off.

Working from home on your self assessment tax return

Your working from home allowance should be entered in the employment section(s) of your tax return.
If you need to backdate a claim where a self assessment has already been submitted you can submit an overpayment relief claim to HMRC in writing.

How to claim a Leaving the UK tax refund

Individuals who have paid tax in the UK in the year in which they leave could be owed a leaving the UK tax refund.

P85 leaving the UK form

A P85 should be completed online or by post if you don’t need to complete a self assessment tax return.
You can use our P85 tax back guide to learn more about claiming a tax refund when you leave the UK.

Self assessment tax return

If you need to complete a self assessment tax return any tax refund you may owed for the year in which you leave the UK will be repaid after your tax return is submitted to HMRC.

Automatic HMRC tax refunds

In some instances you may receive a refund of tax from HMRC automatically. This is common if you have had an incorrect tax code or have changed jobs during a tax year.

You should receive a P800 tax calculation letter in the post from the tax office which shows you how much you are owed.

Claim your tax refund online

You can usually claim your tax refund online via your personal tax account or HMRC app which you can download for free.
If you do not claim your refund online within 21 days HMRC will automatically send you a cheque within 6 weeks of the date on your tax calculation letter.

Cheque by post

If your P800 states that you will receive a cheque you should receive it within 14 days from the date on your calculation. You do not need to take any action.

Tax Refund Calculators

Our tax and tax refund calculators are a great way to work out an estimate of how much you could claim back.

The calculators are completely free and you don’t need to enter any personal information to use them.

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Tax Rebate Services offers free information to help taxpayers find out about HMRC tax refunds and how to pay less tax.

Through our free income tax guides, tax FAQ’s and tax refund calculators we aim to help you make informed decisions about your tax and money matters.

The guidance provided is completely free and unbiased, and we suggest seeking additional assistance on each topic from HMRC, the appropriate government agency, or a qualified professional such as an accountant.

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