Tax reclaiming for dummies

andromache_2

:wave:

I've read other threads on this topic but am still confused so I'd be very grateful for a nice clear explanation of what I need to do to claim back emergency tax I've paid.

Basically, I'm a student. I've earned about £2000 this year so I'm well below the limit. I do random bits of work during termtime so I haven't been able to fill in the P38(S) form - that's what it's called, right? I've had three employers this year:

1. A shiftwork firm. I'm signed up with them permanently and ring up for shifts when I want them so no P45 form or anything. They're my 'main' employer so I've never paid tax on my earnings with them.

2. An office job. I only have one payslip from these guys and paid about £200 PAYE tax (as well as NI which I obviously can't reclaim). I think I'm still on their salary books as I might go back to work for them again next summer so no P45 here either.

3. My uni - doing random bits of work. I rang HMRC to allocate some of my taxfree allowance but I just got a payslip to say I've been charged £4.40 tax on the £20 of work I did this month! No P45 here either as I'm still employed by them. Hopefully the new tax code should kick in next month (when I'll earn a bit more, lol) but I want my £4.40 back!

I'm really sorry if I sound dense but the guy I just spoke to jabbered on about P45 forms and as you can see I don't have any! He didn't seem to understand the whole multiple employer thing, either. Will I be sent P60 forms automatically by my employers? Is there any kind of deadline for claiming back tax at the end of the tax year? I've not had any taxable earnings before this year so I don't really know what I'm doing

Thanks in advance for any help!

CLAPTON

If you are still 'employed' by these three firms you should receive P60s from them sometime late April early May. You have six years to reclaim any overpaid tax.

If your tax code/allowance is being split between your two 'main' employers and this is done before your March pay date then the tax on these two should be corrected (i.e. presumably zero) automatically.

The remaining one .. the office job you will need to reclaim next year.. make sure you keep all your pay slips and the P60s.

fengirl_2

On no account leave it until the end of the tax year to reclaim your overpaid tax. You will be in a queue with thousands of other people in the same position.
You can sort this out before the end of the tax year by informing HMRC of the current position on all your jobs and asking them to allocate tax free allowances across all of them to your advantage. Refunds will then come through each pay slip. Ask the office job to run you through the payroll once the codes are issued so that they make you a refund of tax with nil pay.

andromache_2

OK, so I just sit tight and wait for my P60 from the office job then. I *thought* that's what I had to do then the guy from HMRC I just spoke with seemed to make everything lots more complicated! Thanks very much for the quick response, Clapton

edit: or... hmmm... that is a good point, fengirl... I'll try and see if that's possible but I don't think the accounts guy at that job was massively organised, lol... we'll see what he can do! I've been waiting ages anyway (since the summer) so it's not too much of a disaster if I do have to wait a little longer. Thanks for your help