June 30 is the end of the Aussie tax year, but in good old Blighty it falls on April 5. According to the Domesday Book of 1086, fact fans, our old friend William the Conqueror – also known as William the Bastard – was actually quite a nice chap who, unlike David Cameron (also known in some circles as David the Bastard), would accept honey as payment of taxes due. Now, given that you probably haven’t got that much honey, but have paid a heap of tax money, April 5 is the time to start claiming some of it back…
Show me the money!
Paul Goodlad, a tax specialist for TNT Taxback, explains that most foreign workers in the UK overpay their taxes and are owed money when they go home. This is usually a result of leaving before the tax year is over or work-related expenses that should be taken into account.
He says: “Thousands of people come to the UK to work, travel and explore. The attractive wages and employment regulations make this country a great place for international people to work, and while you’re expected to pay tax, you may be paying too much and deserve a tax rebate. This may sound like one big headache, but getting your tax rebate means you have extra funds to spend on something you’ve always dreamed of doing.”
Of course the government are not the easiest people to deal with, especially when they’re giving money back, bless ’em. So it’s not easy getting it by any means. They’re not going to just roll over and let you scratch their tummy. No, they’re going to turn into snarling rottweilers and hang on to what they think is rightfully theirs. However, help is at hand – TNT Taxback is good with rottweilers. The easiest way forward for you is to complete the online application and sit back and let TNT Taxback do the rest. The service only charges a commission if you get a refund, otherwise there’s no charge at all, not a penny. It operates on a no-refund no-fee basis.
By the way, its average tax refund is £1,367 – that could be yours in two to three weeks. Think of the shopping session! Being a TNT service, we’ll admit we’re a smidgen biased, so you could contact Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and try and get it back yourself. Be warned though, it’s like pulling teeth! What’s more, they don’t have an online facility for filing Pay As You Earn (PAYE) refund applications. So, do the smart thing: get a hold of your P60 or CIS certificates, go online to tnttaxback.uk.com and await your refund!
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TNT Taxback FAQs:
Q: When can I apply for a tax refund?
A: You can apply when you have finished work, are leaving the UK, or at the end of a tax year (April 5).
Q: What do I need to claim my tax refund?
A: We will need to see any P45s or P60s or CIS Certificates you may have received from your employers (CIS certificates are for if you are in the construction industry).
Q: My employer hasn’t given me any P45s, P60s and/or CIS Certificates. What do I do?
A: Don’t worry, we can obtain these for you; just remember to give us as much information about your employment(s) as possible.
Q: How will I know if I am due a tax refund?
A: There are many reasons why you could be due a tax refund. The more common ones are: 1 You are from overseas and this very simple fact usually qualifies you for a refund. 2 You haven’t worked a full tax year (tax years here run from April 6 to the following April 5). 3 You have been paying ‘emergency tax’, which is a big bad thing. It means, through no fault of your own, you have been paying too much tax every week/month. Emergency tax codes look like this…. BR, Mth1, Wk1, LX1, MX1, 945LX. 4 You work in the construction industry on CIS certificates – this is highly taxed and more often than not you will get a refund. You can claim for expenses such as tools, travel, clothing etc.
Q: If I am leaving the country, can you transfer my tax refund to my bank in my home country?
A: Yes, anywhere in the world and it is free of bank charges.
Q: My friends said they got all of their taxes back, is that possible?
A: Some people who are from overseas but work for a UK company and get taxed in the UK but don’t actually physically work in the UK (you did ask), are usually the ones that get ALL their taxes back. We do those sorts of refunds too. Most often though you will be due some sort of tax refund, so get in touch and let us get it for you.
Q: I earned less than the single person’s allowance this tax year, does that mean I get a full refund?
A: Yes!
Q: Can I claim any tax back on work-related expenses?
A: If you are under the CIS certificates, then yes. If you are working under Pay As You Earn (PAYE – P45s & P60s etc), then generally speaking, you can claim for anything, as long as you needed to spend it to enable you to do your job and your employer hasn’t reimbursed you. For example, they make you buy a laptop to do your job, so, yes you can claim for the laptop. Or you have to wear a special uniform, eg nurse, doctor, chef etc, then you can claim for costs such as laundry, cost of equipment etc. You can’t claim for travel to and from home to work, however you can claim for travel once you’re at work and your employer then sends you elsewhere to carry out some work. Just remember to keep all your receipts!
