How to make a uniform laundry tax rebate claim

You should qualify for a laundry tax claim if you have to wash your own uniform or protective clothing as part of your job.

The type of employment you have doesn’t matter it’s the fact that you incur the cost that’s important.

Find out how to claim back a tax rebate for the cost of uniform laundry expenses so you don’t miss out on the tax relief you are entitled to.

What form do I need for a Laundry tax rebate claim?

To make your claim for uniform allowance you need to complete a form P87 through an online or postal process with HMRC.

The P87 form asks for information relating to your employer(s) in the tax years of your claim along with other personal details like your national insurance number. Having access to your personal tax account will help you to find some of the facts and figures needed.

When you have completed the P87 form for your uniform laundry you can submit it online or you can print it off and post it to HMRC to the address given on the form.

If you complete a self assessment tax return you must include the uniform allowance in the relevant employment section of your return.

The allowance will then be automatically included in your self assessment calculation.

You can’t claim laundry tax relief if:

• You’ve been reimbursed by your employer.
• Facilities to launder your uniform are provided by your employer.
• You haven’t paid tax in the year you are claiming.

How many years can you claim for laundry?

The tax office will allow you to reclaim for the last four tax years only Because of the time limit it’s best to make your claim as soon as you can so you don’t lose your entitlement.

When your claim is made your current tax code will be updated with the uniform allowance which will mean that you don’t need to make another claim in the future.

What is a laundry tax rebate worth?

The standard amount you can claim back is £60 per tax year (this can be more depending on your job).

Tax relief is applied to the £60 which will normally be at a rate of 20% or 40%, depending on your tax bracket.

You won’t get back £60 in total for each year, but a percentage of the amount. Additionally a small percentage of interest for any backdated years on your application.

For example if you are a basic rate tax payer you will receive 20% tax relief on the £60 allowance which will give you around £12 per tax year.

Other allowances are available depending on your job title and the industry you work in. You can see a list of all the flat rate expenses in our FRE directory.

Our free uniform laundry tax calculator is here to help you work out how much your claim might be worth.

How long does it take for a uniform claim to complete?

The average timescale is variable; it depends on how heavy the workload is at the Tax Office at the time you make your uniform claim.

You can track the progress of your claim through your online personal tax account or by calling HMRC.

I wear protective clothing for work, can I still claim a uniform tax rebate?

Yes. The difference between uniform and protective clothing to HMRC is that protective clothing does not need to carry the company’s brand.

They both have the same flat rate expense amount. A good example would be a high-vis jacket worn by a construction worker.

Do I need to provide receipts?

No. You don’t need to provide evidence of the cost you have incurred. The tax office calls the reimbursement a flat rate expense which basically means that they approve the expense without the need to see receipts.

Do I have to be a taxpayer to claim for uniform?

Yes. by definition you must be a taxpayer for the years you are claiming. The tax office are not able to repay a tax refund for a year in which you have not paid income tax.

If you haven’t paid income tax but think you will earn enough to pay tax in the future it’s still worth claiming for the uniform allowance.

Your tax code can be updated with the allowance meaning that when you do start paying tax you will gain the benefit immediately.

Will my employer be involved when I claim for uniform?

No. Your relationship with HMRC is private and your employer is not obliged to participate in, or pay for, any tax rebate claim.

If you are awarded the uniform tax allowance the tax offices sends your employer an updated tax code electronically which will then be used by your employer in your next pay.

Before you make a uniform tax claim

It’s always recommended to check your tax code before making a claim for your uniform washing.

This ensures that you aren’t already receiving the uniform allowance in your tax code.

The allowance can sometimes be included automatically by your employer or if you have made a claim in the past.