Had to work from home at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic? Claim tax relief worth up to £140

MSE_Molly_G

If you're one of millions who worked from home due to Government restrictions at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, even for just one day, you have until this Saturday (5 April) to claim a tax rebate for the entire 2020/21 tax year – worth up to £140.

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Last chance: Had to work from home at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic? Claim tax relief worth up to £140

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juw8e7

Is bank payment possible as opposed to cheque? TIA

Dazed_and_C0nfused

juw8e7 said:

Is bank payment possible as opposed to cheque? TIA

Not according to this (assuming you are referring to a last minute claim for 2020-21)

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/paye-manual/paye91037

manuelf94

How long does it usually takes to hear back from HMRC - I applied for this on the 03/04/2025 - should I have received a response back ?

englishwhistler

I applied around the same time and received a letter to say "You can only claim for amounts that your employer won't reimburse.......We gave you an allowance in your 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022 Tax codes for the job expenses you are claiming.  This means no further expenses are due to you"

sheramber

englishwhistler said:

I applied around the same time and received a letter to say "You can only claim for amounts that your employer won't reimburse.......We gave you an allowance in your 2020 to 2021, 2021 to 2022 Tax codes for the job expenses you are claiming.  This means no further expenses are due to you"

They are saying you had already claimed the allowance and it was given in your tax code so you paid less tax in these years.

There is no further allowance due. 

MSE’s post was for those who had not already claimed the allowance.  

englishwhistler

sheramber said:

They are saying you had already claimed the allowance and it was given in your tax code so you paid less tax in these years. There is no further allowance due. MSE’s post was for those who had not already claimed the allowance.

Appreciate the info, but what I didn't remember was claiming for it in the first place.  Is there a way to check this online via gov.uk to confirm what I have been told is accurate?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

englishwhistler said:

sheramber said:

They are saying you had already claimed the allowance and it was given in your tax code so you paid less tax in these years. There is no further allowance due. MSE’s post was for those who had not already claimed the allowance.

Appreciate the info, but what I didn't remember was claiming for it in the first place.  Is there a way to check this online via gov.uk to confirm what I have been told is accurate?

The tax code on your P60 (for those tax years) is sometimes a good indication.

Clicker9180

I followed this guide: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/04/covid-tax-relief/ and amended my tax return on 02/04/25. Now I received a letter sayng "the deadline for amending the 2020 to 2021 tax return was 31 Janaury 2023"?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Clicker9180 said:

I followed this guide: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/04/covid-tax-relief/ and amended my tax return on 02/04/25. Now I received a letter sayng "the deadline for amending the 2020 to 2021 tax return was 31 Janaury 2023"?

That's correct.  The time limit for amending a Self Assessment return has long since passed.

You should have submitted a claim for overpayment relief.  This is explained here in the If you've missed the deadline to change your return section.  You have to provide the specific information listed.

And explain you misunderstood what you had to do and did try and submit am amendment before 5 April 2025.  And then pray someone in HMRC looks at this sympathetically.

https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/corrections