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Tax Refund claim checklist

HMRC are a lot of things but, when it comes to UK tax rebates, fast on their feet is not one of them. It's not their fault, to be fair. It's just an enormous job taking care of the tax situation of every single person in the country. Getting a tax refund in the UK can be complicated, stressful and time-consuming. That's why RIFT is here. We're the UK's leading tax refund specialists and this is our quick guide to 'How to claim a Tax Refund' and what you can do to get your refund as fast as possible.

You may still be due a UK Tax Refund even if you live or work abroad some of the time. Use our free tax rebate calculator for an estimate of how much you could be owed.

How to claim a Tax RefundTax refunds, step by step

Step 1: Do I qualify for a tax refund?

If any job you've had in the last four years has meant you travelling to more than one workplace, you could qualify for a tax refund. You can also claim back for any accommodation, uniform, professional subscriptions or training courses too.

Step 2: How much will I get?

So you qualify for a tax refund? Brilliant! Did you know the average 4-year claim from RIFT is worth around £3,000. If you work under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) the average annual refund is around £2,070.

Step 3: Sign here!

We'll send you a copy of your claim to check and sign.

Once you've confirmed you're happy with your tax refund and want to go ahead, we'll submit the claim to HMRC for you and keep you updated on its progress.

Step 4: Sit back and wait

Once HMRC receive your claim it usually takes them 6-8 weeks to check and approve your tax rebate. You can now track your claim using our free RIFT app, which also enables you to earn even more money by referring your friends to RIFT too.

As soon as we receive your money from HMRC, we’ll deduct our fee and send your cheque the same day – or we can pay direct to your bank account. We'll also call or text you to say your money’s on its way.

Step 5: Roll on next year...

If you’re still travelling to temporary work sites, you can claim again! And again, and again… RIFT has many clients who claim their tax refunds year after year. Once you’ve claimed, we’ll remind you when it's time to see if you can claim again for the new tax year.

Start your claim for free >

What We Need From YouTo claim your tax refund we need the following documents

If our tax rebate calculator has indicated that you can claim a tax rebate, you can help to get your money back to you as quickly as possible by sending us as many items as you can from this checklist:

Essential documents:

Wage slips/income statements
Proof of ID (new customers only)

Armed Forces only:

Assignment Orders

Additional documents:

These documents are not essential for us to make a claim for you, but if you have them then they will speed up the claim process and may mean we are able to secure a larger refund for you.

P60 end of year certificates
Any P45s
MOT certificates
Receipts for expenses
Contract of employment (not needed for returning customers unless employment has changed)

Important DocumentsWhat to do if you don't have copies of all documents

We can often help you get hold of the documents you need if you don't have copies.

MOT certificate:

We have access to the online MOT database and can verify your vehicle's MOT status.

P60:

If you don't have a P60 we you can use your last payslip or income statement. We can also get copies of the P60 directly from HMRC.

Proof of address:

We can accept a number of documents as proof of address such as passport, driving licence, utility bills or council tax statements. If you don't have these in hard copy for any reason we can check the address that you have registered with HMRC.

Contract of employment:

You should be able to get this from your employer. If you are no longer with that employer, or are unable to contact the right person we may be able to contact them for you to get verification of your employment.

Work locations (due to data protection):

If your job means that you cannot provide work locations due to data protection (for example in some healthcare professions) then we will be unable to make a claim for a travel refund.

Sending DocumentsSend us your documents using MyRIFT

We'll set you up with a MyRIFT account here you can upload all your information in one place. Saving you huge amounts of time and hassle. Simply update your documents on the go whenever suits you.

You can also track the status of your claim by logging into your MyRIFT account or by downloading the RIFT App.

If you prefer, you can send your documents via emaill too. Just remember to include your name, postcode and RIFT reference number - checklist@riftrefunds.co.uk

Delays in getting information to us mean delays getting your refund. We know paperwork can be stressful and the last thing on your mind after a hard day. However, HMRC won't pay out your refund without all the right boxes being ticked. If you want, we can even speak to current or past employers to get paperwork and other information.

If you need to explain to your employer why you are asking for information or paperwork, or if they have any worries about it themselves then they you can put their minds at ease by sending them to our Information for employers page.

Start your claim for free >

Our GuaranteeOur guarantee means you'll never lose a penny

When you claim your tax refund with RIFT, our unique RIFT Guarantee means that you don't have to worry about the taxman reclaiming any of your money. So long as you give us full and accurate information, if HMRC disagrees with the amount that we’ve claimed and ask for the money back, we’ll pay it. It won’t cost you a penny.

RIFT Guarantee

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Wondering if you can claim a tax refund or need to submit a tax return? Use our online tools to find out if you're owed money by HMRC.

Do I Qualify?

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Tax Refund claim checklist​