Tax Refund Calculator UK

You may be owed a refund if you have paid more tax through PAYE than you should have. Common reasons include: unreimbursed work expenses (uniforms, tools, working from home), incorrect tax code, only working part of the tax year, pension contributions made from net pay, or Gift Aid donations that should extend your basic rate band. Use this calculator to check.

For simple claims (work expenses under £2,500), you can use form P87 online via your Government Gateway account. For larger claims, multiple income sources, or self-employment, you need to file a Self Assessment tax return. HMRC also has a tool to check and claim online at gov.uk. Refunds are typically paid within 5-12 weeks.

You can claim for expenses your employer requires you to incur but does not reimburse. Common claims include: uniform/work clothing washing (£60-£140 flat rate per year depending on industry), tools and equipment, professional subscriptions (if on the HMRC approved list), working from home (£6/week flat rate or actual costs), and business mileage at 45p/mile for the first 10,000 miles.

You can claim a tax refund for the current tax year plus the previous 4 tax years. For example, in 2024/25 you can claim back to 2020/21. After 4 years, the right to claim expires. It is worth checking each year individually as you may be owed refunds for multiple years.

HMRC allows flat rate expenses for maintaining work uniforms or specialist clothing. Rates vary by industry: healthcare workers £125, engineers/construction £140, cabin crew £100, police £80. The general flat rate is £60 per year. You claim tax relief at your marginal rate, so a £140 allowance saves £28 at 20% or £56 at 40%.

If your employer requires you to work from home (not by choice), you can claim £6 per week (£312/year) without needing receipts. Alternatively, you can claim the actual proportion of household costs (heating, electricity, broadband) attributable to work use, but you need records. The flat rate gives tax relief of £62.40/year at 20% or £124.80 at 40%.

When you donate to charity through Gift Aid, the charity claims 25% from HMRC on top of your donation. If you are a higher or additional rate taxpayer, you can claim the difference between the higher rate and basic rate on the gross donation. For example, a £100 donation (gross £125) saves a 40% taxpayer an extra £25 via Self Assessment.

The approved mileage allowance payment (AMAP) is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles per tax year, and 25p per mile thereafter. If your employer pays less than this (or nothing), you can claim tax relief on the difference. Only business miles count — not your regular commute. Keep a mileage log as evidence.

If you make pension contributions from your net (after-tax) pay to a personal pension, the pension provider claims basic rate relief automatically. However, if you are a higher or additional rate taxpayer, you can claim the extra relief via Self Assessment. For example, a £1,000 net contribution is grossed up to £1,250, and a 40% taxpayer can claim an extra £250.

No. Claiming legitimate tax relief is your legal right and does not trigger an investigation. HMRC processes millions of P87 claims and Self Assessment returns annually. However, you must only claim for genuine expenses and keep records for at least 22 months after the end of the tax year. Fraudulent claims are a criminal offence.