How to Claim the Uniform Tax Rebate

Washing your uniform for work allows you to take advantage of the uniform tax rebate. Not everyone is eligible, but there are different rates for various jobs and you can get back more if you’re in a higher tax band. Make sure your uniform qualifies under the HMRC definition and you can easily make a claim.

Eligibility

You are eligible to make a claim for the uniform tax rebate if you have to wash, repair and replace your uniform. If your employer covers the costs of this, then you won’t qualify.

Your work attire must also come under the HMRC definition, which is defined as “a set of clothing of a specialised nature that is recognisable as a uniform and is intended to identify its wearer as having a particular occupation”. This can cover anything that features a logo or company name, but won’t cover name badges that can be removed.

Qualifying Criteria

Before you start making a claim, you must be aware of the full criteria.

• You must be required to wear this uniform in order to do your job. Any bystander would be able to recognise it as a uniform

• Your employer hasn’t paid you for maintenance costs (or provided the means to do so)

• You have paid income tax for the year(s) you’re claiming

Additionally, those that are self employed are unable to claim. PPE also doesn’t count, even if it’s required to do your job, because your workplace is required to pay for it. That’s not to say protective clothing doesn’t qualify because a hi-viz jacket is also acceptable under the HMRC definition.

Overalls and other protective uniforms can be claimed on as they are required for some professions to do their job. Regular clothing with removable logos or badges won’t qualify, and neither will a colour scheme be an acceptable definition of a uniform.

How Much You Can Get

When you make a claim, you’re able to receive tax relief for the whole tax year. This is usually on a flat rate of £60, but it can be higher for different professions if they require a specialist uniform. Emergency service personnel can claim on a flat rate of £185, for example.

The tax relief you receive depends on how much tax you pay. If you’re a basic rate taxpayer, you’ll receive 20% of the flat rate, while a higher rate taxpayer will receive 40%. On the standard £60 flat rate, this can be either £12 for a basic rate taxpayer or £24 for a higher rate taxpayer.

You are also able to backdate the claim by up to four years. In addition to the current year, that’s a total of five years, which can effectively give you £60 as a basic rate taxpayer. To check if you're eligible to claim uniform tax, see our guides and fill in your details.