If you are leaving the UK between 6th April 2017 and 5th April 2018, don’t miss out on claiming your UK tax refund.
Who can claim a Leaving the UK tax refund?
Anyone that has worked and paid UK income tax may be eligible to claim a tax refund when they leave.
This includes:
- UK and non UK citizens
- Employed and self employed
- Part time or full time workers
- Taxpayers with multiple jobs, or just one
Good to know
- You can backdate your claim for four tax years
- You can claim from the UK just before you leave, or once you have resettled abroad (as long as you are within the four year deadline)
- Receiving a leaving the UK tax refund does not affect your ability to return to work in the UK in the future
What is included in a leaving the UK tax refund?
There are several reasons why you may be owed a tax refund from the UK Tax Office before you leave the UK. Each claim is considered individually and the details of your financial situation determine what your submission will look like.
Here are some of the most common tax reliefs that we have successfully claimed for our previous clients who left the UK:
- Work expenses: Many taxpayers don’t claim for the tax relief on work expenses that they’re entitled to. Things like, Trade Union fees, washing your work uniform and using your own vehicle for work are all legitimate tax relief claims.
- Working in the UK under a secondment from a non UK employer.
- Personal Allowance: This is the amount of income you can earn before paying any income tax. If you leave the UK part way through a tax year, you may not have used up your whole amount and can therefore make a claim.
- UK based pension income (you can use our non resident pension tax rebate guide for more information).
- Non resident landlord: of UK property
- Non resident status
- Working in another country but paying UK income tax
Will my UK income tax be refunded automatically?
In most cases your UK tax refund cannot be paid automatically. The system requires that you make an official application, following the correct procedures, so that HMRC (the UK Tax Office) can refund your tax overpayment.
How much is a leaving the UK tax refund worth?
£900 is the average amount we secure for our clients who are leaving, or left, the UK. The great news is that there is no designated upper limit. Each taxpayer’s situation is assessed, verified and then you will be paid the full tax relief amount you are owed by HMRC.
What do I need to claim a tax refund when I leave the UK in 2018?
The type of evidence you need to support your leaving the UK tax refund depends on the exact reliefs and allowances you are claiming for. Work expenses, for example, have differing requirements; from no evidence needed for a flat rate expense, to receipts or travel logs.
Your whole financial position is taken into consideration, including all income sources. To make the process as time efficient as possible, it is a good idea to include copies of your P45 and your P85 or self assessment tax return. You will get your P45 when you finish your UK job, from your employer. If you don’t use the self assessment tax return system, your P85 provides crucial information like your UK residency status and when you left the UK.
We can help you make a claim even if you have lost these forms. Which, if you are reading this three years after you’ve resettled abroad, is quite likely. Their absence just means that the process make take longer.
