Refund for washing own clothes..?

Nine_Lives

Aye she's a tax payer - basic rate,

I imagine tights would be a negative. I don't think she wears them for work. As for shoes, at her last place i think they insisted on those croc things, but when her boss retired & she started up in her new position in April 2011 they insisted on all black trainers. Technically these could be worn outside of work i guess, but she doesn't.

I've just asked her about the shoes - she says that they did/do put on a shoe allowance, but that (& this one doesn't surprise me one bit lol) ... my gf lost her receipt & as such had to pay for them herself. Oh dear.



Just looking at your calculations .... if she's entitled to £100, how does this classify into £20pa if she pays tax? I thought tax was at 20%? 20% of 100 is 20. 100-20 = £80, so wouldn't it be £80pa?

It wouldn't be the first time i've crunched numbers wrongly though

jem16

K_P83 wrote: »

Just looking at your calculations .... if she's entitled to £100, how does this classify into £20pa if she pays tax? I thought tax was at 20%? 20% of 100 is 20. 100-20 = £80, so wouldn't it be £80pa?

The allowance is £100. You don't get £100.

You are allowed to claim 20% tax relief on that allowance. So 20% tax relief on £100 is £20.

Nine_Lives

Thanks for that. Saves me telling her to write a letter asking for £100 :rotfl:Even still - better than nothing.

I suppose it's worth an ask to request the tax code to be changed so that it's done automatic & she doesn't have to go through the faff of it all again.

Mikeyorks

K_P83 wrote: »

I suppose it's worth an ask to request the tax code to be changed so that it's done automatic & she doesn't have to go through the faff of it all again.

They will change the tax code for the current year - it's standard procedure if the employment is continuing.

If you've previously gone through one of the 'refund' companies ..... it's not unheard of that they suggest employment is finishing. In order HMRC doesn't put it into current coding ....... and that way they get repeat business! You do need to check that the authority for the refund company to act for you is cancelled / lapsed.

Nine_Lives

Funny that you say that. I submitted mine & a while later i got notice from the tax orrifice saying i was basically no longer working for my employer.
This was at the time when i'd just been signed off as well & relationships weren't good between my employer & myself.
So on my return i kicked off asking why they told the tax folk i no longer worked for them, thinking they were on some sort of dodge again.

But on the back of what you say, it could've been this company we turned to that caused it.

Mikeyorks

K_P83 wrote: »

But on the back of what you say, it could've been this company we turned to that caused it.

Quite possible. But you do need to check you're not still 'signed up' with them. If you completed a 64-8 ...... you possibly still are and need to countermand it. Otherwise they may have asked HMRC to send any refunds via them.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/agents/authorisation/paper.htm

Nine_Lives

I found a copy of the form we used (i can scan & upload if necessary) & there doesn't appear to be any coding to it (such as 64-8, or indeed ANYTHING).

The main heading says "An Opportunity To Receive a FREE Tax Healthcheck"
It gives a link of https://www.taxbuddies.com/pts
& an address: The Tax Refund Company, Freepost SK1892, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 3Xz

The info it asks initially is basic - name, address, employment details, family details, children. A few weeks later you get a form back asking for details such as uniform purchasing & washing. Send this off with your P60 & a little while later get a cheque in the post.

Beyond the first refund we had with them years ago, we've heard nothing since.

Mikeyorks

K_P83 wrote: »

Send this off with your P60 & a little while later get a cheque in the post.

Presumably the cheque was from the refund company? And will have been the net figure reclaimed from HMRC and after the fee had been deducted?

In which case you had authorised HMRC to send your refund to your 'agent'?

But if they haven't pestered for years .... sounds safe to forget it.

Nine_Lives

Just a thought here as she's going to get round to chasing this up at the weekend...

She started this current job in April 2011 after she was made redundant due to her previous boss retiring (so the entire place got shut down).
She was in her previous job since around March 2006 (the year is right, but i'm guessing on the month. I think i've got it right though).
The same applied there - uniform, had to wash herself etc.

Can/should she apply for a refund from THAT employment also, or will she be out of luck due to the place being shut down after the boss retired?
If she can/should apply, then from what year - would you say 2008?

Mikeyorks

You said in post #5 that she had already received a refund for earlier years? So you need to check the claim doesn't overlap.

But you can only go back to 08-09 in any event now.