What job expenses can employees claim tax relief on?
As an employee, you may be able to claim tax relief on certain costs you have to pay for your job and that your employer does not reimburse. These can include uniform upkeep, tools, professional fees, business travel and working-from-home costs. The relief reduces your taxable income.
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Check what you're owed →Tax relief on employment expenses follows a strict principle: the cost must be incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in doing your job, and it must not have been reimbursed by your employer. This rules out anything with a significant private element, but it covers a meaningful range of genuine work costs that many employees pay for themselves.
Common claims include washing and maintaining a required uniform, buying tools and equipment for your trade, subscriptions to approved professional bodies, the cost of qualifying business travel, and a flat rate for required home working. Some occupations have agreed flat-rate amounts that make claiming simpler, while other costs are claimed as the actual amount with evidence.
You claim this relief from HMRC, either through a dedicated service or your Self Assessment return, and you can often go back over earlier years you missed. Because individual amounts can seem small, people frequently do not bother, but together they add up, so it is worth reviewing everything you might be entitled to in your role.
How to claim tax relief on job expenses
- List your work costs. Note the expenses you pay for your job that your employer does not reimburse, such as uniform, tools or travel.
- Check each one qualifies. Confirm the costs are wholly, exclusively and necessarily for your work, with no significant private use.
- Gather evidence. Keep receipts and records, or identify the agreed flat rate for your occupation where one applies.
- Claim from HMRC. Apply through HMRC or your Self Assessment return and review whether earlier years can also be claimed.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the basic test for a claim?
- The cost must be incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily for your job, and must not have been reimbursed by your employer.
- What are common employee expense claims?
- Uniform upkeep, tools and equipment, approved professional fees, qualifying business travel and required working-from-home costs.
- Can I claim for past years?
- Often yes. If you qualified in earlier years and never claimed, you can usually include them within HMRC’s time limits.
- How is the relief given?
- Usually by adjusting your tax code so you pay less tax, or as a repayment, depending on the type and timing of the claim.
MoneyFinder is an independent sign-posting service that helps you find financial support you may be entitled to. We are not a government body and do not provide financial advice. Figures are taken from the official sources cited above and were correct when last checked — always confirm current details on the linked GOV.UK pages.