Claim your HMRC tax rebate with RIFT

A tax rebate (or tax refund) is money HMRC owes you back if you've paid too much tax. For example, if you’re paying for essential work travel or other expenses, you can claim back the tax you paid on those costs as a rebate. RIFT takes the hassle, stress and guesswork out of your tax rebate claims. We prepare your claim for you, get it on HMRC’s desk and chase it up until it’s paid in full.

Tax rebate adviceHow to claim tax back online

If you don't have a P800 tax calculation from HMRC, you'll need to make a tax rebate claim to get your money. Here's how you do it:

  • Get in touch with RIFT to see what you could claim, or use our tax rebate calculator.
  • Sign a few forms to let RIFT talk to HMRC on your behalf.
  • RIFT will work with you to get all the information needed for your claim. If you don't have some of the details or paperwork, we'll track them down so you don't miss out. We can even work out your travel expenses to site or businesses that no longer exist!
  • Sit back and relax while RIFT prepares and finalises your tax rebate claim. When you're happy with it, we'll send it to HMRC and chase them up until the money's paid.

HMRC tax refundsWhat are tax rebates?

Tax rebates aren’t complicated to understand, but they take expertise to prepare and claim. When you’ve paid too much tax in a year, you can claim some back. However, you need to be able to prove that you’re owed some cash back, and that’s what trips so many people up.

If you work “on the books” as an employee, the PAYE system is supposed to take care of your tax automatically. However, there are still a lot of people paying too much through PAYE, leaving many thousands of people wondering, “Am I due some tax back?”

There are lots of reasons why you might have paid too much tax. Every year, about £300 million in unpaid tax refunds is going to waste – and RIFT is aiming to get that cash back where it belongs.

Remember, a tax refund is your legal right any time you’ve forked over too much money to HMRC. It’s yours to claim back, and with the friendly experts at RIFT preparing your claim there’s no reason at all to miss out.

Knowing that you’re owed a tax rebate is only half the battle. After all, the taxman can’t refund you if he doesn’t know what you’re due. When RIFT prepares your refund claim, we track down every piece of information to prove what you’re spending to do your job, from your work mileage travel costs to your food and accommodation expense when you’re on the road for work. That’s why the very best way to kick off your claim is to talk to RIFT. It takes just minutes and a few quick details to get started.

HMRC Tax RebatesAm I owed a tax rebate

When you’re reaching into your own pocket for the essential costs of your work, you can claim back the tax portion of your expenses in a yearly tax rebate claim. Examples of these kinds of expenses include:

  • Work travel in your own vehicle
    If you’re not being fully reimbursed by your employer, you can claim some tax back for your mileage.
  • Public transport
    Your ticket costs can count toward your tax rebate claim.
  • Food and accommodation costs
    While you’re travelling for work, many of these essential expenses will earn you a tax rebate.
  • Repair, replacement and laundry costs
    Taking care of your uniform, tools or other equipment can mean some tax back from HMRC.
  • Professional subscriptions, union or license fees
    If these kinds of costs are essential for your work, you can include them in your tax rebate claim.
  • Training course expenses
    If you’re paying for your own essential training, you could be owed some tax back.

Try RIFT’s free tax rebate calculator to see if you’re owed a refund, and to and find out how RIFT can help prepare your claim for you.

HMRC Tax RebatesWhat information do I need to claim a tax rebate?

HMRC won’t just refund your cash without asking a few questions. This is where RIFT’s expertise comes in. We’ll help chase up all the paperwork you need, including:

  • Records of the temporary workplaces or bases you've travelled to
  • Your monthly payslips
  • Receipts for your work expenses
  • Photo ID e.g. passport or driving licence
  • Proof of address e.g. a utility bill
  • Other documents like MOT certificates or HMRC forms

You can learn more about what documents you need here, or talk to RIFT and we’ll guide you through it all. We’ll also help you with other tricky details that can trip you up, like setting up a free Personal Tax Account at HMRC if you don’t already have one.

Why use RIFT Refunds?Why choose RIFT

RIFT Refunds Guarantee

RIFT Guarantee

If HMRC wants your refund back, we cover it.

No hidden costs with RIFT Refunds

No hidden costs

It costs nothing to find out if you have a claim.

Peace of mind with RIFT Refunds

Peace of mind

We've reclaimed over £300 million.

We do the hard work

We do the hard work

94% want to claim again with RIFT.

Am I due a tax rebate?Tax rebate experts since 1999

Since 1999, RIFT has put literally hundreds of millions of pounds in tax rebates back into the pockets of our customers across the UK. We can even help prepare and claim your rebate if you’ve been made redundant or stopped work part-way through a tax year. We always keep you updated on the progress of your claim, and the RIFT Refunds App means you can get all the information you need on the go.

RIFT keeps everything simple and stress-free, preparing your tax rebate claim, getting it submitted and guiding the whole process until you’ve got your money. There are no hidden charges with RIFT, and year-round aftercare is included. Our commitment and expertise mean we’re the first and only tax company ever to be awarded the ICS Service Mark for outstanding customer service.

Get to know usMeet the team

The heart of RIFT is our friendly and close-knit team. We’re the UK’s leading tax experts, and we love helping our customers get back what they’re owed. Our decades of success come from the amazing teams we’ve built, and our yearly assessment from the ICS (Institute of Customer Services) shows we’re one of the best places to work in the country.

Meet The Team

Tax Refund ExpertsLooking after your tax rebate and you

We have 7 teams of dedicated tax refund specialists ready to handle every step of your tax rebate claim. When you start your claim with RIFT, your personal manager will work with you to prepare all the paperwork and get it submitted to HMRC. Your manager will be available all year round to answer questions and keep you posted about your claim’s progress. They’ll also make sure you don’t get tripped up by any tricky rules or important deadlines.

Your dataIs my data safe with RIFT?

At RIFT, we take our position as the UK’s leading tax experts very seriously. We will never take any risks with the details and information you give us, and always take every precaution to ensure its security. Furthermore, we’ll never use your information in any way that you haven’t agreed to, and will never share it in any way the law doesn’t specifically allow.

RIFT TestimonialsWe listen to our customers. So should you

We work hard all year round to make sure you have the best possible experience with us. But don't just take our word for it, visit our YouTube channel to hear what our customers have to say.

RIFT PricesHow much does claiming a tax refund with RIFT cost?

  • Tax refund if you're employed under PAYE: 36% of refund claimed including VAT (minimum fee £60 including VAT).
  • Tax refund with tax return for self-employed (including CIS): £330 (including VAT).

How much tax am I owed back?

The important thing to realise about rebates is that it’s the tax portion of your expenses that you’re claiming back. For most people, that means 20% of what you’re paying out to do your job. Higher rate taxpayers, however, might get more because they’re paying more tax to begin with. Other things that might affect your tax rebate include:

  • Whether you already owe money to HMRC for things like outstanding penalties.
  • Whether you’ve paid the wrong tax because you’re on the wrong tax code.
  • Whether any work expenses you want to claim tax relief for are already included in your tax code.

An average 4-year tax rebate claim from RIFT is around £3,000 . Try our free online tax rebate calculator to see how much you could be owed.

HMRC TimescalesHow long does a tax refund take?

The wheels at HMRC can turn slowly sometimes, but your tax rebate pay-out should usually come within 8-10 weeks. With RIFT preparing and handling your claim, we'll keep the whole process moving as smoothly as possible – and the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll have your money.

RIFT GuaranteeOur Guarantee means you'll never lose a penny

The unique RIFT Guarantee means you'll never have to worry about the taxman reclaiming any of your tax rebate. So long as you give us full, accurate information for your claim, if HMRC disagrees with your pay-out and demands some back, we'll pay it from our pocket instead of yours. It won't cost you a penny!

Am I due a tax refund?How far can I claim a tax refund?

You can claim your tax rebate for up to 4 years, even if you’ve changed jobs, become self-employed or even stopped working altogether in the meantime. If you’re worried about getting all the information from previous years, we’ll talk to your old employers and track down the crucial details. We can even help if your old company or workplaces no longer exist.

Tax rebate checkHow do I check if I'm owed tax back?

The first thing to do to find out if you’re owed a tax rebate is to check our free online tax rebate calculator. It’s so easy to end up overpaying your tax, whether you’re self-employed or working PAYE for an employer. With RIFT preparing and handling your claim, you’ll always know your rebate’s in expert hands.

Just 4 simple questions will get you started claiming back what HMRC owes you. If you need to use the Self Assessment system to make your claim, we’ll handle that too at no extra charge. It’s all part of the RIFT service.

HMRC Tax RefundsHow do tax rebates work?

There are lots of reasons why you might be owed a tax rebate from HMRC, and it can be difficult to know exactly where you stand. It all comes down to proving what you’re owed, which is a real challenge if you’re not a tax expert.

Work expenses like travel costs, uniform laundry or professional subscription fees can all mean you can claim a tax rebate – but they’re just the start of it. For instance, you might still be owed some tax back if:

When you make a mileage tax refund claim for travel to temporary workplaces, HMRC will want to see details of the places you've worked, and what it cost you to get there. Every piece of evidence you can gather about your work expenses will make getting your tax rebate easier.

The best thing to do is keep up-to-date records throughout the year. Your MyRIFT account makes this simple, by helping you track your mileage and spending as they happen. You can upload everything to your account right from your phone. You can even grab photos of receipts and send them directly to us with MyRIFT. Once your claim’s in progress, you can track it and update any details you need to instantly.

Remember, the taxman will never try to cheat you. All HMRC wants is the tax you owe—and not one penny more. However, they need to see evidence of your expenses so they know how much tax to refund you. That’s why getting a free estimate with our tax rebate calculator is the best possible start for your claim.

Claiming tax backDo tax rebates happen automatically?

If you get a P800 tax calculation from HMRC, you might not even have to make a tax rebate claim to get the money you’re owed. Your P800 will tell you how much tax they think you should have paid. If you’re owed any back they’ll arrange a refund for you. If you haven’t paid enough, they’ll explain how to settle up. They might change your tax code, for instance.

The problem is, HMRC won’t always automatically know when you’ve paid too much tax. If you stop working part-way through a tax year, for instance, the PAYE system will probably have taken too much tax out of your monthly pay. Also, being on the wrong tax code can cause all kinds of tax trouble, which HMRC won’t necessarily know about. That means that you won’t get a P800, and you’ll have make a tax rebate claim to get back what you’re owed. As always, RIFT will sort everything out for you. We’ve got a great relationship with HMRC, and can take care of all the messy details. If you’re owed some tax back, we’ll get that for you as well.

One of the main reasons why HMRC won’t send you a P800 is if you’ve got work expenses they don’t know about. This is the kind of thing that leaves thousands of people losing out to the taxman each year. If you’re not claiming the tax rebates your work expenses earn you, get in touch with RIFT for expert help preparing and handling your claim.

Tax refund checkRIFT's tax rebate expertise

If you know what you’re doing, you can go toe-to-toe with the taxman yourself to claim your tax rebate. However, it really does take a specialist to make the very best of a claim. Even traditional accountants can still miss out on some of your key expenses and leave your money on the taxman’s table. As the UK’s leading tax refund experts, RIFT has the expertise to get back everything you’re owed – and keep you on the right side of HMRC while we do it.

Refer a friendExtra cash for you and your mates

Help your mates get their yearly tax refunds and get extra cash for your own pocket!

At RIFT, we love it when happy customers tell their friends about us. In fact, we love it so much that we actually give you cash rewards and free prize draw entries for doing it!

We'll give you £50 for every friend you refer (T&Cs apply) who claims with us, plus an extra £150 bonus on top when 5 people make their RIFT tax refund claims.

Simply tell us about your friend using our Refer a Friend form and we’ll get in touch to let them know you think they might have a claim.

Refer a Friend and earn £50

Tax Refund LegislationWhat's the law about tax refunds?

“Are tax refunds legal?” The answer is yes, absolutely! When you claim your tax rebate, you’re not trying to “get one over” on the taxman. It’s not about cheating the system. Tax refunds ARE the system – and you’re only cheating yourself by not claiming back what’s yours with RIFT.

RIFT takes the work, strain and risk of out of getting back the tax you’re owed, and we always keep you 100% within the taxman’s rules to protect your money—and you.

Have a look at our full list of services and prices. It cost nothing to find out if you have a claim.

Uniform tax rebatesCan I claim back tax for cleaning my work clothes?

If you have specialised clothing you need to wear for work, you can claim a uniform tax rebate for its upkeep or replacement. We’re talking about anything from a sweater with a company logo right through to a full uniform. If it’s necessary for your work, it could count toward your tax rebate.

If you don’t mind a little legwork, you can keep receipts whenever you pay to clean or repair your work clothing. If that sounds like too much paperwork, HMRC’s simplified Fixed Rate Expenses system might be the answer. Basically, the taxman has set specific rebate amounts based on the cost of keeping your work clothes in good condition. Rather than collecting receipts and crunching numbers throughout the year, you can use HMRC's figures instead.

Food tax rebatesCan I claim the cost of meals for my tax refund?

Your food and accommodation bills when you’re travelling for work can definitely count toward your tax refund claim. We’re not talking chicken-feed here, either. A typical food tax rebate could easily be worth £250-£500 a year!

Obviously, “travelling for work” doesn’t include a regular commute to a permanent office. You still have to be travelling to temporary workplaces for your food expenses to qualify for a tax rebate on your expenses.

It’s more than just the tenner you’re spending at lunch that counts, though. Everything from your first cup of tea on-site to the afternoon snack you grabbed in your break can earn you some tax back. Keep hold of those receipts, cash machine mini-statements—or even just photos of the menu board. Any information you can give to HMRC will help to prove exactly what you’re owed.

Tax Refunds for toolsI have to buy my own tools for work. Can I claim a tax refund?

When you’re claiming a tax rebate for the upkeep or replacement of essential tools or equipment, there are a few points to keep in mind. Firstly, you can’t claim anything when you first buy things like these. Only replacement or repair costs will earn you a tax rebate. Another point to keep in mind is that your “essential tools” will vary with the work you do. For instance:

  • Scissors or clippers for hairdressers.
  • Knives and kitchen apparatus for chefs and kitchen staff.
  • Hand tools for electricians, carpenters, mechanics, etc.

To qualify as an expense, you need to be meeting costs like these from your own pocket. If you’re getting anything toward them from your employer, it’ll affect the amount you can claim back from HMRC. If you’re being fully reimbursed, naturally enough, you won’t be able to claim for them at all.

Self-employedWhat costs can I claim for if I'm self-employed?

When you’re self-employed, many of the essential day-to-day costs of doing business can bring down the tax you owe on your profits. RIFT can handle all of this when we take care of your Self Assessment tax return paperwork.

Tax refunds for toolsI don't have all the receipts for my expenses. Is there an easier way to claim them back?

If you don’t fancy the idea of hoarding all those receipts and invoices, there’s a simpler way to get tax relief on your work expenses. HMRC’s "flat rate deductions" system sets out fixed amounts you can claim without keeping precise records. The rebate amounts depend on the work you do but, obviously enough, not every possible kind of job has its own flat rate deduction worked out. Even so, if HMRC hasn’t settled on a specific figure for yours, you might still be able to get a standard £60 deduction.

Claiming flat rate deductions can be simpler than making a full tax rebate claim, but you almost certainly won’t get back everything you’re owed this way. Talk to RIFT to see what your best option is, and how we can help.

HMRC Tax RefundsWhy can't I get a HMRC tax refund?

Not everyone qualifies for a tax rebate – but that’s actually not necessarily a bad thing. If you aren’t owed any tax back, it just means you haven’t overpaid in the first place. Maybe your employer’s already covering all your work travel costs, for example.

Another good example is people who don’t travel to temporary workplaces, so can’t make an HMRC mileage claim. Others are self-employed, and handle any rebates they’re owed for their work expenses through the Self Assessment tax return system instead.

If you’re not sure whether or not you qualify for a tax rebate, get in touch with RIFT. A few quick questions will quickly sort out where you stand. If you’re owed anything back, we’ll prepare your claim and make sure it’s paid out.

Getting your earnings and tax information for your refundWhat if I don't have complete pay and tax records for my claim?

It really doesn’t take a huge pile of paperwork to claim a tax rebate, but a few basic details are pretty much essential. Details of what you’ve earned and how much tax you’ve paid are obvious examples, so the best place to start is with your payslips.

Payslips can actually contain a lot of useful information for claiming a tax rebate, including tricky details like maternity and sick pay. They should also show whether your employer’s reimbursed you for any of your work expenses, which can make a major difference to your refund amount. Here's how to read your payslip.

How do I send my information?How do I get my pay and tax information to RIFT?

We’ve made it as simple as possible to get your details to us, through your free MyRIFT account. You can upload copies of your payslips – or simply take a photograph of them and upload that instead. If you prefer to use the post, we even have a Freepost address you can use.

When you get your P60 form at the end of the tax year, you’ll see your total earnings and tax on it. Feel free to send us this instead of payslips if that’s easier.

How do I send my information?Can I get the essential information online?

If you've already set up your Personal Tax Account on the HMRC website, you'll be able to get a lot of the information you need there.

I can't get this informationI can't get hold of the information I need for my refund claim!

Even without a lot of information to work with, there’s plenty RIFT can do to help prepare your tax rebate claim paperwork. We can talk directly to HMRC for you, and grab a lot of the most important details from them. When we do that, they’ll usually send the information straight to you, so you’ll need pass it on to us. You can do that either digitally or by Freepost.

With certain kinds of information, we can get what we need straight from HMRC over the phone. You’ll still need to be on the call with us, though, for your security.

Self-employedCan I claim a tax rebate if I'm self-employed?

Tax rebates aren’t just for “on the books” employees. Even if you’re self-employed, you could still be paying too much tax. Construction workers on the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), for instance, are losing a big slice of their pay to HMRC before they get it. This leaves many of them not getting the best out of their tax-free Personal Allowance. When that happens, though, they can still get back what they’re owed with a tax rebate claim.

Track my claimTrack your tax rebate claim with MyRIFT

Our Track My Claim tool is an ideal way to keep an eye on the progress of your refund. It’s simple to use and lays out all the information you need in one place. With the Track My Claim function, you can send us essential details to speed up your refund even more, and keep your finger on the pulse from your first enquiry to your final pay-out.

Once your claim’s rolling, it’s like using a tracking number on a parcel. You’ll get a notification whenever your claim reaches another milestone in its progress, and any time you need to do anything to speed things along, MyRIFT will let you know.

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