HMRC Tax RebatesClaim Tax back with a RIFT Tax Refund

Whatever kind of job you do, from security or the armed forces, if you're travelling to different work sites you could be owed a tax refund. 

HMRC Tax RebatesClaiming tax back

Tackling HMRC is never fun or easy on your own, particularly when you're trying to claim back the tax you're owed.  Worse still, most people never even realise that they're owed money in the first place. The average tax refund we claim for our customers is worth £3k and that's for things like:

To find out how much you should be claiming for your work expenses, take a look at our simple tax rebate calculator.  There's no reason to miss out on what you're due, so let's get the ball rolling on your refund claim. And, you can use the RIFT Refunds app to track the progress of your claim. You can even claim tax back if you only worked for part of the tax year.  Talk to RIFT about claiming tax rebates after redundancy or time away from work.

Claiming tax backHow to claim your tax back

When you've paid too much tax in a year, there are three main ways to get it back: 

  • You can make the claim yourself
  • Hire a general accountant to do it for you
  • Talk to a tax rebate specialist like RIFT Refunds.

Benefits of using a tax rebate specialist

''DIY'' refund claims can be difficult if you don't know your way around HMRC's rules.  At the very least, you probably won't come close to getting back everything you're owed.  Even traditional accountants tend not to have the specialised expertise and industry knowledge to make a really good tax rebate claim for you.  When you have RIFT in your corner, you'll always know you're in safe hands. 

We'll put your claim together and fight for it until it's paid, with no headaches or hassle for you. 

We'll guide you through all the records you'll need and explain exactly what to expect from your refund. RIFT is always up-to-date with the latest HMRC rules and regulations to ensure that you never miss out.

Why use RIFT Refunds?You will benefit from...

RIFT Guarantee

RIFT Guarantee

If HMRC wants your refund back, we cover it.

No hidden costs

No hidden costs

It's free to find out if you're owed a tax rebate.

HMRC Recognized

Peace of mind

Our expert team have reclaimed £281 million.

We do the hard work

We do the hard work

94% want to claim again with RIFT

Keeping recordsWhat records do I need to keep to claim tax back?

It takes solid paperwork to claim tax back from HMRC.  The taxman will expect proof of everything you're owed, including:

  • A list of places you've worked, and assignment orders if you're claiming an Armed Forces tax refund
  • Receipts for your essential work expenses
  • Essential HMRC documents like payslips, income statements, P60s and P45s

Claim tax backClaim back travel expenses from HMRC

''Can I claim for travel expenses in my taxes?'' is one of the top questions we’re asked at RIFT – and the answer is yes, as long as you stay within the HMRC rules.

Travelling to temporary workplaces (generally meaning places where you work for under 24 months) costs money. If you’re spending that cash yourself and you’re paid PAYE, you could be owed a tax rebate. In fact, you may still be owed tax back even if your employer pays you something for your mileage. HMRC has set a standard Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) rate for work travel. If you’re not getting the full amount from your employer, you can claim back the difference from HMRC.

Again, it really doesn’t matter what kind of work you do. RIFT has made tax refund claims for everyone from the military, construction sales staff, mechanics and carpenters to forensic analysts, professional sportspeople and even deep sea divers! Many of our customers work in fields like childcare, retail, cleaning and teaching, so there really is no reason to miss out.

Your work travel isn’t the only thing that can qualify you for a tax refund, of course. You might be due a uniform tax rebate for cleaning your work clothes or a food tax refund for buying lunch. What’s more, since you can claim back what you’re owed for the last 4-years, we can even make tax refund claims for jobs you’ve already left or firms than no longer exist!

As the UK’s leading tax experts, RIFT will always make sure you’re getting back everything you’re owed. Both our tax refund calculator and travel mileage calculators take under a minute to use, and can give you an instant idea how much you could claim.

Travel Tax Back ClaimsUnderstanding the rules for travel expenses

When you’re on the road for work, travelling to temporary workplaces, there’s a good chance you’re owed a tax rebate for your costs. This is something that so many people miss out on and never even realise it. However you’re travelling, the tax refund system can put some serious cash back in your wallet each year. The same goes for the food you buy, any accommodation you pay for and a whole range of other necessary costs you’re reaching into your own pocket for.

Of course, there’s always a catch when you’re tackling the taxman. When you’re claiming a refund from HMRC, you need to understand what a “temporary workplace” is. In general, “temporary” just means that you’re working there for under 2 years. You can’t claim back anything for a regular commute to a permanent office, for instance. The rules have a few tricky wrinkles in them, though, so it’s always best to talk to RIFT to make sure you stay in the taxman’s good books.

Use the RIFT mileage claim calculator to get an instant estimate of how much your travel tax refund could be worth. It's free! 

Claim Tax BackAre tax refunds legal?

Absolutely! HMRC will never try to cheat you out of the tax you’re owed back. That’s why the tax refund system exists. Tax refunds for travel to temporary workplaces, for example, are claimed under the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, sections 336-339. Basically, any time you’ve paid too much you’re entitled to a refund - and our tax refund calculator is a great start in claiming yours.

Obviously, HMRC isn’t just going to cough up your refund without proof – and that’s what puts a lot of people off claiming at all. Claiming back more than you’re owed is dangerous, even accidentally, which is why it’s so important to talk to a refund expert like RIFT. We’re specialists in the tax refund rules, and we’ll never claim back a penny that you’re not owed. Unlikely as it sounds, HMRC really isn’t out to grab any more of your money than they should. The taxman always pays up when he’s taken too much, but you really do have to prove it to him.

At RIFT, we make sure to keep both you and your money safe with our unique RIFT Guarantee. As long as the information you give us is accurate, if HMRC ever kicked up a fuss and asked for some of your rebate back, we'll pay it ourselves at no cost to you! That means your refund, your credit rating and you are all protected at once!

HMRC Tax RebatesAbout RIFT Tax Refunds

It costs nothing but a minute of your time to find out if you could make a HMRC tax rebate claim with RIFT.  Our expert teams have been putting rebate cash back in our customers' pockets since 1999 and we're here to help.

Use our free tax rebate calculator or answer 4 easy questions to take the first step on the road to your tax refund.

Claiming Tax BackHow to claim a PAYE tax refund

Your circumstances may change over time, which can affect the tax you owe. If you stop work during the tax year, or change your hours or job, you might end up on the wrong tax code. You might even be issued an emergency tax code if HMRC doesn’t have all the information it needs to work yours out. All of these situations can mean you end up paying too much tax – meaning you can claim it back from HMRC.

Even mistakes you make yourself can be fixed if you’ve got the right help. It’s easy to get your Self Assessment tax returns wrong, for instance, or you might forget to update HMRC when your income from rent or investments goes down.

The way you make your refund claim will vary with your situation. You might be able to get a payment directly from HMRC, or have your PAYE tax code adjusted. Whichever system you end up using, you need to understand the rules, deadlines and records involved to stay safe and get the best out of your claim. 

Claim tax backPAYE Tax Refunds Team

Not all of RIFT’s customers are self-employed in their own business or working in construction or the MOD. Most are working under the standard PAYE system, and simply don’t have the time or expertise to get the most from their claims. RIFT’s specialist tax refund teams are the UK's leading experts at putting your rebate cash back in your pocket. Whatever tax problems or questions you have, get in touch with us.

P800 Tax CalculationsWhat is a P800 tax calculation and what do I do if I get one?

HMRC likes to keep a check on the tax you’re paying, whether you’re employed or drawing a pension. When a mistake jumps out at them, they’ll generally let you know about it in a P800 tax calculation and start straightening things out. There’s nothing too scary about a P800 form. It’s just HMRC’s way of telling you how much they think you should have paid, which could be more or less than you actually did. If you’re owed money, they’ll refund it. If you owe some extra tax, they’ll explain how to pay up.

The thing is, HMRC won’t always have the information they need to get your tax right. They can keep track of what you’re earning, but won’t automatically know how many miles you’re travelling for work, for example. This is why you have to keep a good record of your necessary work expenses – which is one of the main things RIFT can help you with.

When you get a P800, it’s important to check it thoroughly and make sure you understand what HMRC’s saying. If the taxman’s calculations match your own, there’s no problem. If you owe a little money (typically £3,000 or less), the taxman will claw it back from you over the next year. Any more than that and they’ll talk you through how to settle up. Obviously, if your P800 says you’re owed tax back, you can get the wheels rolling on reclaiming it.

Tax refunds and tax returnsP800 forms and Self Assessment

If you’re registered for Self Assessment tax returns, you won’t usually be seeing any P800s from HMRC. Self Assessment has its own way of handling mistakes. Once the error has been tracked down, you'll have your tax bill amended automatically. You’ll be able to check what’s changed by logging into your account on HMRC’s site.

HMRC Tax RefundsHow will HMRC send my tax refund to me?

It can take several weeks for HMRC to send you a tax refund, once they’ve realised that you’re owed the money. If you’re making your claim through RIFT, we’ll get your rebate to you however you prefer, either by bank transfer or a cheque. If you're owed a tax refund, you'll usually get a cheque within a few weeks. You can also use the RIFT Tax Refunds app to track the progress of your claim so you always know what's happening.

HMRC Tax RefundsHandling HMRC mistakes

Mistakes in a P800 can mean you end up paying too much or too little tax. If you spot something wrong in yours, or simply don’t understand it, it’s a good idea to get in touch with HMRC as quickly as possible. Don’t put it off until you forget and don’t assume it’ll “all work out” if you just keep quiet. Getting a refund you weren’t expecting is a nice surprise, but if you weren’t really owed the money then the taxman won’t be happy when he catches up with you. Fixing a mistake might mean sitting on a helpline queue for a while, but you really can’t afford to ignore the problem. Obviously, if you’re with RIFT we’ll handle all this for you. We don’t do hidden charges at RIFT, so this kind of thing is all part of our service.

Claim Tax BackCan I claim tax back for previous years?

You get 4-years to reclaim the tax you’re owed, so anything you haven’t got back after that is gone for good. Sadly, that’s exactly that happens to around £180 million in unclaimed refunds each year. If you think you might have a claim to make, get in touch with RIFT before it’s too late. If you’ve got friends in the same situation, let them know about RIFT and we’ll make sure they don’t miss out either. We’ll even give you a £50 reward as a thank-you if they end up claiming with us.

In rare situations, you might be able to claim back your tax after the 4-year deadline expires. That generally only happens when it’s entirely HMRC’s fault, though, so don’t count on being able to make a late claim.

HMRC TimescalesHow long until my tax refund goes into my bank?

You can usually bet on getting your tax refund within about 8-10 weeks. Obviously, the sooner you get all your information to RIFT, the sooner you’ll get your cash. Our 7 specialist teams will do everything possible to make sure your refund claim goes smoothly and fast, so get your refund rolling with RIFT today. Just answer 4 quick questions and we’re away.

Our 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 rebate. So long as you give us full, accurate information for your claim, if HMRC disagrees with your payout and demands some back, we'll pay it ourselves.  It won't cost you a penny.

Refer a FriendExtra cash for you and your mates

Help your mates get their tax refunds and score some extra cash for yourself!

At RIFT, we love spreading the word about tax refunds so much that we reward you for helping out your mates!

We'll give you a £50 reward for every friend you refer (T&Cs apply) when they make their claim with us, plus an extra £150 bonus for every 5 people you refer who claim.

Use our Refer a Friend form to get started. We’ll get in touch with your friend to let them know you think they might have a claim. Then just wait for the rewards to roll in!

Need more help?

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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