Am I owed a refund for work expenses?
Uniform, tools, professional fees, mileage your employer underpaid and working from home — each is small, four years of several is not. And the claim is a form, not a service worth 40%.
Why this exists: Refund agents take 30–48% of the claim. Typically £250–£2,500.
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Rates as at 6 April 2026 — the 2026/27 tax year.
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The rules behind this
Every figure above comes from one of these. Where the tool has interpreted rather than calculated, it says so in the finding.
An employee may deduct expenses incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of the duties.
Flat rate expenses for uniforms and tools are published by trade and need no receipts.
Mileage allowance relief is available where the employer pays less than the approved rates of 45p and 25p.
Home-working relief requires the employee to be obliged to work from home, not merely permitted.
A claim for relief may be made within four years of the end of the tax year.
Questions people ask
Is it really free to claim?
Yes. Form P87 on GOV.UK costs nothing and takes about twenty minutes for four years. Agents charge 30–48% because most people do not know the form exists, not because the claim is difficult.
What counts as a uniform?
Clothing that identifies the job — a branded shirt, a nurse's tunic, protective gear. An ordinary suit does not, however much your employer insists on it, and that is settled law rather than a grey area.
Can I claim for working from home?
Only if you are required to. The pandemic-era relaxation has gone, so hybrid working by choice does not qualify. If your employer has no office for you, it does.
How far back does it go?
Four tax years, and the oldest drops off every 5 April. One P87 covers all of them, so it is worth doing in one go rather than year by year.
I signed up with a refund company. Can I still claim myself?
Check what you signed. Some agreements assign the refund to the agent, though HMRC has tightened the rules and now pays most refunds directly to the taxpayer. Future years are yours to claim regardless.