Most people will have never heard of uniform tax, nevermind know what it is and how, as workers, they can benefit from the government legislation offering tax relief on job expenses. According to research, 2 in 3 employees who wear some kind of uniform or protective clothing are entitled to a tax rebate from HMRC. As everyone knows, wearing a uniform for work can often make life a lot easier – you never have to worry about what to wear in the morning, but also wearing the same thing requires a lot of washing! The government understands this, which is why they have the uniform tax in place.
Can I claim uniform tax?
You will need to meet a certain set of criteria to be eligible to claim back your workwear tax, so the first question is, do you wear a distinguishable uniform? This means it’s immediately clear to members of the public what job you do. The next thing you must consider is if your workwear protects you while carrying out tasks, this doesn’t necessarily mean the type of protection you may wear on a building site, it also refers to aprons, beauty tunics and healthcare tunics because they still offer protection just a different kind. The last thing to think about is if your uniform has a logo. A logo makes your clothes officially workwear for uniform tax purposes, and it applies even if only one part of your uniform has a logo.
How to claim uniform tax
If you think that your uniform fits this set of criteria, then you could be entitled for the uniform tax rebate so it’s worth applying for it yourself. The best way to claim your uniform tax back is to go to the government website, check how much you could be entitled to and contact them with the information you’ve collected. It’s that quick and easy! The main point to bear in mind is if your employer requires you to wear a protective yet presentable work uniform that you must wash yourself. If you wear your own clothes or need to follow a dress code e.g. a suit and tie, unfortunately you won’t be eligible for the uniform tax rebate. Also, if your employer offers a washing service or you buy your uniform directly from the retailer you work for then you wouldn’t be entitled to the uniform tax rebate either.
If you’re still unsure about if you’re eligible or want to find out how much you could be entitled to you by can do a claim check on the government website. Claim for washing work uniform if you are entitled to it to help towards your expenses. As uniform specialists Simon Jersey want you to have all the knowledge you need to make the most of wearing your uniform, while looking and feeling great every day.
If you’d like to find out more about Simon Jersey and our range of uniform visit our website
