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In short
- Our average refund is £2,972 for a 4-year claim, before our fee.
- It depends on what you spent, your tax rate and how many of the last 4 years apply.
- Mileage claims are largest; uniform-only claims are smallest.
- The refund can never be more than the tax you paid.
Try the tax rebate calculators for a rough figure, or see typical claims in tax rebates by job.
What decides the figure
- Relief. The total of allowable expenses less anything your employer paid.
- Your rate. 20% of the relief at the basic rate, 40% at the higher rate, Scottish rates in Scotland.
- Years. Up to 4 back years plus the current one.
- Fee. 37.5% plus VAT of the refund, minimum £45 plus VAT. Fees.
Typical ranges by claim type
| Claim | Relief a year | Tax back over 4 years at 20% |
|---|---|---|
| Uniform only, £60 rate | £60 | £48 |
| Nurse: NMC fee, uniform, shoes and stockings | £263 | £210 |
| Care worker, 5,000 miles, paid 25p | £1,000 | £800 |
| Driver at temporary depots, 9,000 miles, nothing paid | £4,050 | £3,240 |
| Mechanic, £1,800 tools at actual cost | £1,800 | £1,440 |
Illustrative. Your figure comes from your HMRC record. Try the calculators.
Worked example, with the fee
Refund £1,040. Fee 37.5% is £390, plus VAT £468. You receive £572. If HMRC refunds nothing, you pay nothing.
Why the gross figure is misleading
Some firms quote the relief rather than the refund. Ask for the refund and the fee side by side. Our average refund is £2,972 for a 4-year claim; after our fee that is about £1,635 in your bank.
Questions
I only worked part of the year.
The refund is capped at tax paid that year, so a short year gives a smaller refund.
Higher rate?
Double the figures in the table.
This guide is general information, not advice about your circumstances. Figures use HMRC rates for the 2026 to 2027 tax year. We are a paid tax agent and not HMRC.
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