Teacher Tax Rebate Information

The majority of Teachers in the UK are entitled to claim teacher tax relief on the cost of the fees for their chosen professional body, like the National Education Union. 

As part of a teacher tax rebate claim, other expenses incurred for work purposes can be claimed. For example the cost of specialist clothing, books and journals, equipment for work use and qualifying travelling expenses. As a result of a teacher tax rebate claim HMRC typically make an adjustment to your tax code meaning that you will pay less tax for future years as long as you incur the job related expense.

On this page you will find information about:

Teacher Tax Rebate for professional fees

The criteria:

• You incur the cost of the professional fee
• You are not reimbursed by your employer

How much can be claimed?

The amount of teacher tax relief that can be claimed does change. The amount allowable is dependent upon the agreement made between HMRC and the professional body. Some organisations have secured tax relief on the whole amount, some on a percentage of the total fee. You need to check with your organisation.

What professional bodies can I claim for?

HMRC does not allow tax relief to be claimed for all professional bodies, it depends if an agreement is in place between HMRC and each organisation. The new amalgamation of the ATL and NUT, the National Education Union, is on the government’s allowable bodies list.

If you pay membership into one (or more) of the following professional bodies you may be eligible for a tax refund:

Or unions:

Teacher Tax Rebate for books and journals

The criteria:

• The cost of any books and journals are met by you
• The cost is not reimbursed by your employer
• The books or journals are purchased to use in lessons or for the preparation of lessons
• The books or journals are not purchased for your own personal development
• Receipts should be available – although sometimes an agreement can be made

How much can I claim?

The amount depends if you are a 20% or 40% taxpayer. The amount due back in each tax year will be either 20% or 40% of the cost depending on which tax bracket you fall into.

Teacher Tax Rebate for specialist clothing

The criteria:

• You meet the cost of specialist clothing
• You are not reimbursed for the cost of specialist clothing by your employer
• The specialist clothing is clothing other than ordinary clothing for example football boots purchased by a P.E teacher
• The clothing is a replacement of an initial purchase
• The clothing is not an initial purchase. Only the cost of cleaning, repair or replacement is allowable

How much can I claim?

The amount depends if you are a 20% or 40% tax payer. The amount due back in each tax year will be either 20% or 40% of the cost depending on which tax bracket you fall into.

Teacher Tax Rebate for washing of clothing

The criteria:

• You wear specialist clothing for work purposes
• You meet the cost of washing specialist clothing
• You are not reimbursed by your employer for the cost of laundering

How much can I claim?

You can claim a flat rate allowance of £60 per tax year for the laundering of specialist clothing. The amount you will receive will be tax relief on the £60 flat rate expense, which will total in the region of £12 per tax year if you pay tax in the 20% tax bracket.

Teacher Tax Rebate for equipment purchased for work

The criteria:

• The cost is met solely by you
• The equipment is not supplied by your employer
• You are not reimbursed by your employer
• You can demonstrate that the purchase was made not through personal choice but by contractual obligation in the performance of your duties

How much can be claimed?

The amount due back is dependent on which tax year the purchase was made and if a capital allowances claim has to be made for the purchase. A guideline would be 15% to 20% of the purchase total.

Teacher Tax Rebate for qualifying travelling expenses

The criteria:

• The location travelled to is not a permanent place of employment
• The location visited is a temporary place of employment which is visited whilst performing your duties away from your usual, permanent workplace. For example a PE co-ordinator of one school travelling to deliver teacher training at other schools.

Use your own vehicle?

The criteria:

• If you use your own vehicle and you are not reimbursed the full mileage rate of 45p per mile up to 10,000 miles and 25p thereafter by your employer.
• If you use your own vehicle and you are paid the full mileage rate by your employer, but the mileage paid is taxed.
• You can provide qualifying travelling expense records which show the journeys (with dates if possible), along with any reimbursement made by your employer.

For further Tax Refund information, please follow the links below:

Tax Refunds by Employment

Tax Refunds for Expenses

Tax Refunds for Tax Code

Tax Refunds for Left The UK

CIS Tax Refunds

Other Tax Refunds