If you are a member of the Union UNISON you could be entitled to claim tax relief on your membership fees.
Not all UNISON members are eligible to the relief with the agreement between UNISON and HMRC only allowing some members the benefit.
For this reason it’s best to check to see if you are entitled before making a claim to avoid wasting your time.
We have listed below the sectors and job titles under the UNISON / HMRC tax relief for subscription fees agreement.
HMRC can change the sectors and job titles from time to time and they publish a complete list on .GOV for reference.
Nursing sector
The Nursing sector includes nurses, midwives, health visitors and healthcare assistants working in the community, schools, mental health, dentistry, GP practices, learning disabilities, maternity care, hospitals and the prison service. Ambulance sector
The Ambulance sector
All grades of ambulance staff and paramedics employed by every ambulance service nationwide.
Voluntary Sector
The Voluntary sector is classed as those who work for a non-NHS voluntary sector organisation like a charity or social enterprise. Examples of services within this sector are day care, social work and rehabilitation.
Professional and Technical ‘A’ sector
The professional and technical A sector is for those working in areas such as art, music and drama therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, orthoptics, dietetics, chiropody and radiography.
Professional and Technical ‘B’ sector
The Professional and Technical ‘B’ sector encompasses professional and technical staff working as operating department practitioners and assistants and those working in anaesthetics, chaplaincy, counselling, dialysis, estates management, optometry, phlebotomy, podiatry, prosthetics and orthotics, sexual health, healthcare scientists including clinical scientists who work in biochemistry, gastroenterology, haemotology, haemostasis and thrombosis, microbiology, immunogenetics and histocompatibility, immunology molecular genetics, medical physics, respiratory physiology and clinical engineering, cytoscreeners, laboratory support staff and perfusionists, technicians or technologists working in anatomical pathology, audiology, dentistry, physiological measurements and cardiology, gastroenterology, hearing, respiratory, medical physics, engineering, renal, physiology, neurophysiology, and medical Illustrators and photography, dental auxiliaries, hygienists and therapists, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants.
Senior Managers’ sector
The Senior and General Managers’ sector includes NHS ( and it’s support services ) team leaders and co-ordinators, organisers, directors, assistant directors, heads of services, professional managers.
How to claim your UNISON tax rebate from HMRC
If you fit into one of the categories above you should be able to claim a tax rebate for the last four tax years.
Even better if you have any other work related expenses like washing your own uniform or using your own car for work you can claim for these at the same time.
You should start your claim either online or by post via the HMRC form P87 which is specifically for taxpayers who do not complete a self assessment tax return and want to claim employment related expenses.
