Claim cost of tools if PAYE?

ninky_2

My OH has recently started a new job as a fabricator welder. It is PAYE. He has been paid a £25 boots allowance. However, he has also been told he is expected to provide his own tools (hammer, spanners, allen keys, measure etc). Is he able to claim the cost of these against his tax? If so, how does this work?

fengirl_2

Most trades have an agreed flat rate expense allowance agreed between HMRC and the unions. Go to www.hmrc.gov.uk and search for fixed rate deductions. If his job is listed there, he just needs to contact his tax office and ask for it to be included in his code number. He will be granted the deduction each year in which he does this job.

dobbie82

does anyone have the direct link please? as the hmrc website has me running around in circles usually

max2009

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/IncomeTax/Taxallowancesandreliefs/DG_078378

ninky_2

fengirl wrote: »

Most trades have an agreed flat rate expense allowance agreed between HMRC and the unions. Go to www.hmrc.gov.uk and search for fixed rate deductions. If his job is listed there, he just needs to contact his tax office and ask for it to be included in his code number. He will be granted the deduction each year in which he does this job.

many thanks fengirl. looks like he can claim £140 a year. will get him onto the tax office this week.

pchelpman

£140 a year doesn't sound like much.

Remember .... he will not get that amount from the taxman. Only the tax relief on it.

So, if he is a 20% taxpayer, the will get about 54p per week in tax relief.

If he is a 40% "higher rate" taxpayer he will get about twice that amount.

Good luck.

sarflee

I am sure you are only able to claim the cost of replacing the tools etc, not the initial outlay, therefore I should think £140 is adequate.

dobbie82

hmmm just checked for my OH. it doesnt have "chef" just "all food workers" which is a measly £45?

the cost of chef's clogs, chef jackets, aprons, trousers, knives, etc per year is a hell of a lot more than that!

pchelpman

dobbie82 wrote: »

the cost of chef's clogs, chef jackets, aprons, trousers, knives, etc per year is a hell of a lot more than that!

As I was thinking.

Your OH can always make his own expense claims to the tax office BUT (and this is a very big "but") he will need to show that the expenses he is claiming are spent by him "wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the course" of his work.

I think the the main stumbling block for your OH will be the word "necessary".

This is quite often a "catch 22" situation.

A common tax office argument is that all necessary expenses will be paid for by the employer therefore the expenses in question can't "necessary" but, instead, a choice of your OH to buy his own kit.

A very short-sighted attitude, I know.

In your first post you say he is told to provide these things. Is this stated in his contract of employment? If not then can he get this in writing somehow from his employer? If he can do either of these it will help his case.

If he has nothing in writing about this then the only choice he has is to make his claims on the grounds of a verbal contact between him and his employer.

Again, good luck. Do let us know what he decides to do and how he gets on.

burnsguitarman

My OH tried this when he was working as an electrician, he submitted all the relevant info to the tax office, but they still wanted more! In the end he just gave up it wasn't worth the trouble for the paltry amount (you only get tax RELIEF on the value not the actual amount you have paid!