Can I legally avoid paying tax?

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jimmyjimmycocopops
jimmyjimmycocopops Posts: 6 Forumite
in Cutting tax
Hello,

I'm a single person earning £25,000 per annum and I would like to keep as much of that money as possible in my pocket.

Current I pay about £600 a month in tax and national insurance.

I know avoiding tax is usually reserved for the wealthy but at my current level of earnings, is there anything I can be doing to trim my tax down?
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  • Sandoval
    Sandoval Posts: 903 Forumite
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    Bog of to Switzerland?
  • CLAPTON
    CLAPTON Posts: 41,865 Forumite
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    that seems a lot
    what is your tax code?
  • Lokolo
    Lokolo Posts: 20,861 Forumite
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    A "normal" person who has a salary of £25k should be paying £485 in tax and NI and take home £1600...
  • olivetti
    olivetti Posts: 215 Forumite
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    Pay into a pension fund all your taxable income or invest in Venture capital trusts which you get tax relief at 30% even as a basic rate payer.
  • JimmyTheWig
    JimmyTheWig Posts: 12,199 Forumite
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    Pay into a private pension. You won't pay tax on the money you contribute, thus reducing your income tax bill.
    Put any savings you have in ISAs where possible, so you don't pay income tax on them.
  • Cook_County
    Cook_County Posts: 3,085 Forumite
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    The simplest way not to pay tax is not to have any income. The better answer is to claim tax credits.
  • qetu1357
    qetu1357 Posts: 1,013 Forumite
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    Lokolo wrote: »
    A "normal" person who has a salary of £25k should be paying £485 in tax and NI and take home £1600...

    http://www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php

    This is a good calculator which shows what you should take home (if average etc. etc.)
  • bootman
    bootman Posts: 1,985 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
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    Used the calculater, very good. Everything was pretty spot on except my national insurance, I pay £50 more a month that it said I should, How can I check what It should be? Next to my deduction it says A
    Thanks
  • CLAPTON
    CLAPTON Posts: 41,865 Forumite
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    bootman wrote: »
    Used the calculater, very good. Everything was pretty spot on except my national insurance, I pay £50 more a month that it said I should, How can I check what It should be? Next to my deduction it says A
    Thanks


    post up the figures and we will check them for you
  • jimmyjimmycocopops
    jimmyjimmycocopops Posts: 6 Forumite
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    Thanks for the suggestions. I am paying the correct tax & NI £485 (and £74 student loan repayments).

    I need most of my income for day to day living costs so can't put much into pensions, and am earning too much to qualify for working tax credits.

    I've seen some 'tax beater' guides online. They make some amazing claims such as how to cut your income tax bill in half and avoid paying NI contributions entirely... Has anyone ever bought one of these?

    Don't get me wrong, I don't want to avoid paying tax entirely but I think we pay way too much in this country.
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