Why CIS workers overpay
Your contractor deducts 20% from every payment and sends it to HMRC as tax on account. That deduction ignores your personal allowance, your expenses and the months you were not working. Most years the 20% is more than you actually owe, and the only way to get it back is a Self Assessment return.
Worked example
A groundworker paid £32,000 gross with £6,400 deducted under CIS. Van, fuel, tools, PPE and phone come to £7,100. Tax actually due is about £2,470. Refund about £3,930, less our £264 fee: £3,666 to you.
What we claim for you
Every expense that is wholly and exclusively for the work. No receipts? Photograph your CIS statements and bank statements in the app; a reasonable estimate usually does.
Van, fuel and travelMileage at 55p a mile (45p before April 2026) or actual van costs, plus parking, tolls and public transport to sites.10,000 miles: £4,500 of expenses
Tools and equipmentHand and power tools, replacements, hire, and larger kit written down over time.Typically £300 to £1,500 a year
PPE and workwearBoots, hi-vis, hard hats, gloves, wet weather gear, and laundering it.Typically £150 to £400 a year
Phone, insurance and adminWork share of your phone, public liability insurance, CSCS card, accountancy, and our fee.Our £264 fee is itself deductible
Working from homeQuotes, invoices and admin at the kitchen table count. Flat rate or actual costs.£312 a year at the flat rate
Materials you weren't repaid forAnything you bought for a job that the contractor did not reimburse.Full cost, with statements“Matt dealt with everything for me and kept me updated the whole time, was paid within a week”
Peter VerifiedHow a CIS claim works
Quick check and identity
60 seconds of questions, then a 5-minute ID check in the app. Link HMRC so we can see your CIS deductions.
Tell us your expenses
Photograph statements or type in totals. Your specialist tells you what else usually applies to your trade.
Approve the return
You see the refund and the fee side by side. One tap and we file the return with HMRC as your agent.
HMRC pays in 7 to 14 days
HMRC pays us, we deduct £220 plus VAT and pay the rest to your bank, usually the next working day. Repeat years from 2 weeks.
£220 plus VAT. That's it.
Flat fee whatever the refund. Includes the full Self Assessment return, HMRC letters and any follow-up questions.
CIS questions
Do I need to be registered for CIS?
If 20% is coming off your payments you are already in the scheme. If 30% is coming off you are unregistered and we can sort that too, then claim the difference.
I've never filed a return. Is that a problem?
No. We register you for Self Assessment and file the missing years. If HMRC has issued late filing penalties we can appeal where there is a reasonable excuse.
What if I owe tax instead?
It is rare under CIS, but if the return shows tax due we tell you before filing and you decide. No fee is taken unless there is a refund.
Do I need receipts?
Ideally, but bank statements and a reasonable estimate of mileage and tools are accepted. Keep what you have from now on.
Can you do this every year?
Yes. Once you are set up, each year's return is £220 plus VAT and pays out in about 2 weeks after the tax year ends on 5 April.