Tax back after backpacking?

thisuseridistakenagain

Hello,

I've been in Australia backpacking for a year, (From sep 08 to sep 09) and i've just ben told that i should have filled out at P85 form when i left to claim back any tax i might be owed. I didn't do that, I didnt realise it was an option. I didnt work while i was away.

When I looked at the p85 form it asks how long i have been out of the country and when i will be back, but I've been back in the uk for a month now and im not planning to leave again. Am I too late to claim back anything i might be owed?

Thanks in advance.

Lokolo

You can claim tax back for upto 6 years.

If you went in Sep 08 you should have a P45 from whatever job you were working April 08-Sep 08.

dori2o

thisuseridistakenagain wrote: »

Hello,

I've been in Australia backpacking for a year, (From sep 08 to sep 09) and i've just ben told that i should have filled out at P85 form when i left to claim back any tax i might be owed. I didn't do that, I didnt realise it was an option. I didnt work while i was away.

When I looked at the p85 form it asks how long i have been out of the country and when i will be back, but I've been back in the uk for a month now and im not planning to leave again. Am I too late to claim back anything i might be owed?

Thanks in advance.

You need to look at and read/fillin the form as if you had just left the UK. It does not make sense reading it now as you have now returned.

When filling in the form imagine you havd just left the UK to go on your trip, and fill the form in from there

trevormax

If you had a P45 from your last employer before leaving the country, you can just send this to HMRC with a letter claiming any over paid tax for the 08-09 tax year. If you do not have the P45, you can still send a letter saying you did not earn anything after leaving your last job and ask them to look at thier PAYE records to do an assessment. You do not need to fill in a P85 in this instance.

thisuseridistakenagain

~Thanks very much, illl get it sorted now i hope!

System

Since they sent you a P85 to complete and now that you are back in the UK I wouldn't be surprised if they then ask you to complete a P86 - http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/p86.pdf

Give them a call and see if they want that too.