Uniform Tax Rebate
According to Wikipedia, a uniform means a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization’s activity. People generally wearing uniforms are armed forces, police, emergency services, schools and workplaces. Uniform also means to be the same, and without any difference.
A uniform Creates an attractive business image, for better or worse, society tends to judge people by how they dress. Selecting an appropriate employee uniform can immediately establish a professional business image that attracts and helps retain customers and it Promotes your company or brand. When employees wear uniforms displaying corporate logos and colours, they help brand and differentiate their business in the markets they serve, it also provides Free advertising. Well-designed work uniforms worn in public become “walking billboards,” promoting a company’s products and services “for free.”
Uniforms are intended to last a reasonably time and should pass health and safety standards. Regular maintenance of your uniform can increase its longevity. It goes without saying that you only clean uniforms that are used or dirty or have been stored away for a long time. Consistency is key here.
The best way to maintain your uniform will depend on the fabric it is made of and how you decide to wash it. Cotton uniforms should be washed by hand or machine wash, however, only allowed to hang dry. Wool uniforms can be washed by hands or by dry cleaning but never with machine wash. To avoid colour stains, only wash whites with whites and colours with colours.
Once you’ve washed your uniform, it is imperative that you iron it and starch it accordingly. Make sure you do not iron or starch uniforms that are not meant to be. Some uniforms such as sports jerseys and silk are not meant to be starched.
It doesn’t matter what kind of job you do as long as you wear a distinctive work clothing for e.g. a nurse or a fireman or if your uniform displays the logo of the company you work with. as long as you wear a recognisable uniform that displays you’re in a specific job then you could be eligible to make a claim for a refund for all the money spent on cleaning your uniform.
The HMRC which is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes, the payment of some forms of state support, also responsible for refunding tax money. You may be able to claim for even plain clothes that you wear only for work. However, the responsibility of buying, washing, repairing or replacing the uniform is entirely up to you. You should not be getting any allowance for washing your uniform from your employer nor does he provide any facilities for you to do so.
How much Uniform Tax Rebate can you get?
How much you uniform tax rebate can you get depends on your job, according to industry experts, the HMRC has specific amounts for different occupations it’s called the standard flat-rate expense allowance (FREA) wish are are set amounts that HMRC has agreed are typically spent each year by employees in different occupations.
You can claim for the last four years plus the current year, as long as you’ve been wearing the uniform for this length of time. Once you claim, your tax code will change so that you’ll pay less tax in the future.
Making a Claim
If you’re claiming a tax allowance for the first time or you paid out more than £1,000, you will need to Fill in the P87 form online, you can submit it online also there are a lot of websites that offer to do this for you, but as most charge a fee, you can avoid this by doing it yourself for free.
You can also claim by post, you’ll have to fill in the P87 form online and print it out and send it to Pay As You Earn, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AS. Write ‘Repayment Claim’ on the envelope to speed things up. You’ll need to fill in one form for each year you’re claiming for.
On the P87 form you will ask information on:
- Employer’s name and address
- Your occupation, job title and industry sector
- Your details, including your National Insurance Number and your PAYE reference
- Whether you’re claiming flat rate expenses
- How you want to be paid – into your bank account or by cheque
