Did you leave the UK after 5th April 2014, after working and paying income tax here? This means that you only have until 5th April this year to claim your leaving the UK tax rebate for the 2014-15 tax year.
Our clients get an average of £900 of overpaid UK tax back, so it’s worth finding out a few facts.
Why do international citizens get a UK income tax rebate?
As an international citizen, you are subject to a variety of countries’ tax laws. There are tax treaties between the UK and many different countries that try to prevent situations where individuals pay tax on the same income in two different countries.
The UK also has a series of regulations designed to make sure that people can reclaim any tax overpayments. These apply to everyone that has worked and paid income tax in the UK, you do not have to be born in Britain.
Unfortunately, many expats don’t claim back their UK tax overpayment, often because they don’t know they can. Crucially, you must submit an official UK tax rebate claim in order to get your overpayment refunded. HMRC cannot automatically do this, they need your help with this step in the process.
Here are some of the most common ways that UK expats secure their UK tax rebate:
- You didn’t use up your full tax free personal allowance amount in the year that you left the UK. This usually happens because people’s moves rarely align with the exact end of the financial year.
- You have unclaimed work expenses.
- You pay UK tax on your UK pension income.
- You are UK non resident, work in another country and still pay UK income tax.
- You earn income from leasing property and pay UK income tax on this amount.
Do any of those sound like you? If so, don’t waste any time starting your claim. Especially if you are entitled to make a claim for the 2014-15 tax year. Claims can only be backdated for four tax years.
Can I claim if I’ve already moved?
Yes, you can make a claim from wherever you currently live. Different time zones can make things a little bit more difficult to organise, but there are no restrictions about claiming before you leave the UK.
What paperwork do I need to make a leaving the UK tax rebate claim?
You will need your basic financial information, including: UK National Insurance Number, P45 (you received from your employer when you left) and your P85 form (in which you told HMRC you were leaving) or your self assessment tax return.
This is why we encourage people to sort out their claim before they leave the UK, it’s just easier to find everything before packing. And, if you are moving abroad, the temptation to shred things you assume you will no longer need, is higher. Don’t despair if you think you can’t find all of these documents. We can often piece together the information needed for a claim anyway, it just takes a bit longer.
How much is my leaving the UK tax rebate worth?
Each leaving the UK tax rebate is calculated on an individual basis, there is no set amount. There is also no maximum figure, which is great news. There are several key factors that determine the value of your claim:
- Your total UK income for the tax year in question and the amount of tax you paid. This applies to tax paid through the PAYE and self assessment systems, it all counts.
- Work expenses you are entitled to claim.
- Company benefits you received.
- Your residency classification at the time. (For example, if you were UK non resident for tax purposes.)
Our free UK Tax Back calculator will give you a personalised estimate of how much your own claim is worth in a matter of minutes.
Key tax message
You will lose out on any UK tax rebate you are entitled to for the 2014-15 tax year, if you don’t get your claim submitted by 5th April 2019. You will still be able to claim for the subsequent tax years, but the 2014-15 amount will be completely lost.
