Refund for washing own clothes..?

Nine_Lives

I had my tax code changed which was something to do with having to wash my own work clothes. It wasn't a great deal but anything is better than nothing. My tax code for this current year is 816L.

My g/f's tax code is 810L. She also has to wash her own work clothes, but never pursued it (looking into claiming some money back or getting her code altered for this).

Is it only certain jobs that you can do this for? If not, how would she go about it?

Mine is manual work for a builders merchants & hers is as a dental nurse.

xylophone

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/relief-tools.htm

jem16

K_P83 wrote: »

Is it only certain jobs that you can do this for? If not, how would she go about it?

Start here;

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/27967

FatAndy

Basically you can claim the relief for cleaning clothes only if you "couldn't" wear those clothes outside of work. This generally means uniforms, items with logos or badges provided by your employer and so on. If she's a dental nurse she most likely will be able to claim.

Nine_Lives

Thanks guys.

The problem (perhaps) is that a while ago, she filled in one of those tax refund forms. One of the follow up questions was regarding washing & providing your own clothes. You send off to this company & IIRC they take 40% of your refund. Quite a chunk, but if you don't understand how to chase all this & want someone else to do it then it's better than nothing.

She did this & got about £30 back IIRC.I just can't remember what year it was she submitted the form. I know she moved down here from Scotland towards the end of 2005, so it'll have been any time from then onwards. I would guess between 2005-2008, but i can't remember.

So what would you claim for if you can't remember when the last claim went in? Just submit a claim anyway & let the tax folk tell you what you are/aren't eligible for?



EDIT: On the topic of this .... my brother also works at the same place as i do. He has a split job - in that he works as a mechanic in a garage but also goes driving for the company. He has his mechanic overalls washed by the firm, but the work clothes he wears under these overalls, he supplies and washes himself. When he's driving he isn't to wear is overalls, so it's his normal clothes then.
1) Can he also claim, considering his overalls get washed?
2) How, by looking at his tax code, can he see if he receives an allowance on his code?



Oh & 3) unrelated to my brothers situation this ... the advice you've given, i get the impression it's for a 1 off payment/refund & not a tax code adjustment to accommodate the allowance? If i've got the wrong end of the stick ... apologies.

jem16

K_P83 wrote: »

So what would you claim for if you can't remember when the last claim went in? Just submit a claim anyway & let the tax folk tell you what you are/aren't eligible for?

You can only go back 4 years now anyway. So yes put the claim in and let HMRC work it out.

One thing I can't work out though is if she already has made a claim before why wasn't her tax code amended so that future years would be fine? That's normally what would happen.

jem16

K_P83 wrote: »

1) Can he also claim, considering his overalls get washed?

Not if they're washed by the firm he can't. The clothes he wears underneath are presumably clothes without a logo and can be worn anywhere?

2) How, by looking at his tax code, can he see if he receives an allowance on his code?

Standard code is 810L. If it's higher than this then he has an allowance.

[Deleted User]

I got mine yesterday, but I have to send my P60 before I can have the cheque, why is everything so difficult! :-/

Nine_Lives

Cheers jem. I have no idea why they didn't change her code. I sent off the exact same form & my code was changed on the back of it, but hers wasn't.

I do wear a logo'd uniform (thanks for mentioning that as i'd read the links but forgotten that point), but my gf & brother don't. Where they differ from each other is that my brother could use his clothes outside of work, but my gf works as a dental nurse & as such for H&S reasons, they're not allowed.


EDIT: After doing a bit more googling on the topic, things seem to be pointing towards claiming a one off payment (the situation my gf finds herself in) ....... yet my actual tax code got adjusted so that i don't need to claim for this payment. This would be the ideal situation so that it's done automatic.

Nine_Lives

Looking at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim32712.htm

My tax code is 816L. I would imagine i'd come under

Building Materials a. Stone masons. 85 120 b. Tilemakers and labourers. 45 60 c. All other workers. 55 80
As a builders merchant/fork lift truck driver employee. Shame i'm not classified as another worker for an extra £20

Would you agree then that my gf should expect as a dental nurse:

Healthcare staff in the National Health Service, private hospitals and nursing homes a. Ambulance staff on active service 110




140


b. Nurses, midwives, chiropodists, dental nurses, occupational, speech, physiotherapists and other therapists, phlebotomists and radiographers. See guidance at EIM67200 for shoes and stockings/tights allowance 70 100
c. Plaster room orderlies, hospital porters, ward clerks, sterile supply workers, hospital domestics and hospital catering staff. 60 100 d. Laboratory staff, pharmacists and pharmacy assistants. 45 60 e. Uniformed ancillary staff: maintenance workers, grounds staff, drivers, parking attendants and security guards, receptionists and other uniformed staff. 45 60

jem16

K_P83 wrote: »

b. Nurses, midwives, chiropodists, dental nurses, occupational, speech, physiotherapists and other therapists, phlebotomists and radiographers. See guidance at EIM67200 for shoes and stockings/tights allowance 70 100

Looks like she should expect £100 allowance. That would be worth £20pa if she pays tax. Is she a taxpayer?

No idea if she could claim for tights/shoes as well.