HMRC tax refund forms

Tax refund forms are a key part of claiming the tax rebate HMRC owes you. The taxman loves his paperwork—but don't worry. When RIFT's handling your claim, we'll take care of all your tax refund forms for you. On this page, we'll talk you through everything you need to get started, whether you're employed 'on the books', self-employed or being paid through the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).

FormsTax Refund Forms

Click on the arrows for a summary of all the different types of tax refund forms.

  • P87 tax refund form

    The basic form you use to claim back the tax you're owed for your work expenses is called a P87. This is where RIFT will tell HMRC about all the work travel and other essential costs you're paying out to do your job. These expenses are the core of your tax refund claim, which is why RIFT takes such great care with them.

  • 64/8 Authorising your agent form

    This is the document that gives RIFT permission to talk to HMRC on your behalf. It's a lot less scary than it sounds, and means you never have to go toe-to-toe with the taxman yourself. You can take that permission away at any time, keeping you in control every step of the way.

  • SA1 Self-Assessment form

    When you're claiming for more than £2,500 of work expenses in a single tax year, HMRC says you need to file a Self Assessment tax return to claim your refund. It's the same form self-employed people use to pay their tax. RIFT handles your SA1 paperwork for you automatically when we prepare your tax refund claim, meaning no stress or hassle for you!

  • CIS tax refund forms

    When you're paid through CIS, a 20% chunk of your cash is hacked off by your contractor and sent straight to HMRC. This leaves a lot of construction workers losing out to the taxman. When RIFT works our your tax refund claim, we make sure you get back any tax you've overpaid through CIS.

  • PAYE construction worker forms

    When you work in construction, many of your day-to-day expenses count toward the tax refund you're owed. Anything from upkeep and replacement of specialised clothing or tools through to your morning cuppa at the on-site cafeteria can earn you some tax back, and RIFT will sort your paperwork out to make sure you get it.

  • Travel and mileage forms

    Travel to and from temporary workplaces (where you work for under 24 straight months) are the core of most tax refund claims. That's why it's so important to keep track of the mileage you're doing for work. RIFT will work out all the tricky details for you when we prepare your claim, and can even calculate your mileage to sites that no longer exist!

Essential HMRC FormsYour 64-8 form allows us to talk to HMRC

If you’ve lost or misplaced your 64-8 form - Authorising your agent or if it hasn't arrived in the post yet, simply download it, fill in the bits we've highlighted, sign it and send it back.

All it takes is your name, address, National Insurance number and signature. Without this form we can't talk to HMRC and claim your refund.

If you need us to send you a copy of the form, give us a call and we’ll post it out

If you're a RIFT customer already you don't need to sign a new copy every year. You can add or update information about your next claim then visit myRIFT to fill in your information, log your expenses and journeys and upload your documents online.

Essential HMRC FormsWhat do I do with the forms?

Once you have printed and signed the 64-8 Authorising Your Agent form you need to send it back to us by post as quickly as you can to get your refund claim underway.

We know this seems a little bit old fashioned now, but it's an HMRC requirement that we have a physical copy of the signed form with your name on. Send it back by writing Freepost RIFT on any envelope - it'll get safely to us at no cost to you.

How does it work?

Get an estimate of your refund value with our calculator

Answer a few questions to see if you qualify

Tell us your work and travel information

Enjoy spending your tax refund

Common FAQsCommon tax refund questions

  • Who can claim a tax rebate?

    Tax rebates are for anyone who has to reach into their own pocket for the essential costs of doing their job. Depending on the work you do, that could mean business mileage, maintaining tools and work clothing or food and accommodation when you're travelling for work.

  • When might I have overpaid tax?

    There are lots of reasons why you might be owed some tax back. If you've paying for work travel or other essential expenses, for instance, you're owed a tax refund. You could also be owed cash by HMRC if you've stopped work during part-way through a tax year, been given the wrong tax code or switched from full-time to part-time work. Whatever your situation, RIFT will always make sure you get back what you're due.

  • How long does it take to receive a tax rebate?

    It usually takes 8-10 weeks for HMRC to process a tax refund claim. However, if your claim's more complicated or the taxman has questions about it, it can be longer. Getting your claim started as early as possible will help speed things along, as will having the UK's top tax experts at RIFT handle the process for you.

  • Are there limits for claiming tax back?

    The tax refund rules give you a hard limit of 4 years to claim back the tax you're owed. After that, it's gone for good. When RIFT works out your claim, we'll be able to claim back everything you're owed for the last 4 years.

  • Can I get emergency tax payments back?

    Being stuck on an emergency tax code can easily leave you being owed a tax refund. This can happen when you start a new job without a P45 form from your old one, for instance. How much tax you can reclaim will obviously depend on your situation, so talk to RIFT to find out exactly what you're owed.

Our GuaranteeOur guarantee means you'll never lose a penny

When you claim your tax rebate 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.

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