If you wear a uniform for work you could be owed more than £100

Did you know that if you wear a uniform for work you may be able to claim over £100 in taxes?

Even if it's just a branded t-shirt - and not necessarily a full uniform - you could still be eligible.

According to a post on Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert website, if you wear a uniform at work and have to wash, repair or replace it yourself, you could claim for up to five years of expenses - and you can do it yourself.

They explain that to be able to claim the cash, all of the following must apply: You must wear a recognisable uniform such as branded top, or for example, a nurse or police officer's uniform.

Maddie Red Photography/Alamy Stock Photo

"HMRC says a simple test would be if you were out and about and wearing your work uniform, a member of the public would recognise your employer because of logos or a company name from your uniform," MSE explain.

Your employer must also require you wear the uniform while working, meaning you have had no other option but to buy it. You also don't have to wear the uniform every day, even if you just wore it once during the tax year, it still counts.

It's important to note that to be eligible for this, you have to purchase, clean, repair or replace it yourself.

You cannot claim if your employer washes it for you, provides facilities for doing so or pays you to.

Cultura Creative RF/Alamy Stock Photo

The final requirement is that you must have paid income tax for the year you are claiming.

MSE explained that PPE does not class as uniform, for example, if you work in hospitality and are required to wear a visor or gloves.

"If your job does require you to use PPE, your employer should give you PPE free of charge, or ask you to buy it and pay you back the costs," they add.

So how much can you claim? It varies by profession, but the standard allowance is £60.

imageBROKER/Alamy Stock Photo

MSE explain: "By claiming a uniform tax refund, you'll get back the amount of tax you would otherwise have paid on that £60. So if you're a basic-rate taxpayer, you'll get 20 per cent of £60 as a rebate – which is £12. Higher-rate taxpayers will get back £24."

Over five years, this equates to £60, but some industries have more specific rates. For example, a firefighters allowance is £80, while for ambulance staff it's £185 and for pilots and co-pilots it's £1,022.

You can check for your occupation here.

Topics: News

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot.

@lucedevine