Can I claim VAT back?

sarah07_2

I recently started a self employed job as a community health care assistant. The company I work for, arrange the tax/national insurance every week.

I drive on average 50 miles a day to a number of houses in my own vehicle. I had to pay for my uniform and the petrol I use.

What can I claim for and how would I do this?

Any advice will be appreciated.

ncthomas1

You cant claim any VAT back unless you are a VAT registered business, which I dont think you said you are. So the answer to that one is no sorry. You can claim 0.40p/ mile as a tax reducer when you complete a tax return. There are rules about records that need to be kept for the mileage, so if I were you I would check those out on HMRC website. Uniform, again that is allowable as a tax reducer.
Basically, how it works is like this, in a very basic example
Income £500
Mileage Claim £100
Uniform cost £50
total taxable income is now £350

Basically, you have all your income, reduce it by the total of the allowable expenses, and the answer you are left with is what you pay tax on (Broadly speaking, of course I am not going into the tax code side of things in this example before anyone shouts at me!)