Being in the role of a teacher in the UK, sometimes makes you end up sending your money on buying the resources that you might need for teaching purposes. Regardless of whether you are associated with the junior grades or senior grades, this has been a common concern among the teacher’s community these days. However, due to the lack of knowledge, several teachers are not aware that you can be liable for tax deductions when you become a teacher who is paying taxes. This is why it is imperative to know about teacher tax deductions in the UK.
People in this field are fully confused about tax obligations and the implication of different rules. You must gather information about the eligibility criteria and check whether you come under that certain category. This will even help you to get a tax refund on the purchases like equipment of teachers and the fees you pay professionally. However, the case of claiming the tax deductions will always vary from one case to another because of the unique needs according to different circumstances. This post will provide you with basic knowledge about what expenses are eligible to be claimed, how teachers’ deductions work, the allowable expenses, and other relevant facts that will help you to make the right choices accordingly. Let us get further delve into the discussion to know better.
Reach out to our young, clever, tech-driven team members to learn more tips about tax deductions for teachers in the UK. We will love to provide instant help! Call us now!
Teacher Tax Deductions – How Does It Work in the UK?
You can claim tax relief if you are an employed teacher in the UK. This mostly happens in cases when as a teacher you do need specific teaching equipment to fulfil the demand of your job and you buy them with your own money. In such a situation where you have bought anything for the teaching job, but, your employer at work has not reimbursed this payment, you can always approach HMRC to claim the tax relief.
If you successfully provide the proof and relevant pieces of evidence, your claim will be accepted by HMRC and you will get the amount. An adjustment in your tax codes will be given too. This will help you to pay less amount in the form of tax. However, there is a certain criterion that you need to follow if you want to qualify for a teacher tax rebate from HMRC. This includes the following:
- Your earnings are not more than the amount of your allowance
- You are a taxpayer in the UK
- You are able to make the claim within the duration of four years after the amount was spent
- You are claiming for an amount that is less than £2,500
- In the other case, you will have to claim with your self-assessment tax returns
What are the Allowable Expenses to Reclaim as Teacher Tax Deductions?
The case of employee expenses and other such claims come with very strict rules of HMRC. There is a very slim margin for mistakes as well. The compulsion is the expense is totally related to your work purpose. Many of the things that can come under the acceptance of a claim are listed and explained here.
1- Expenses of Travel
Travelling expenses are one of the disputed claims and people who are in this struggle will face a lot of challenges in this regard. If you are in the role of teacher, according to the set of rules, you will be allowed to claim the tax deductions only if you meet the following:
- You are travelling to a place that is not part of your daily commuting to work and it is to achieve a certain goal of teaching.
- Your permanent place of living is not located in the area you are travelling to for employment purposes.
- You are visiting the place either from your workplace for work purposes or from your home.
2- Teaching Equipment
The matter of viewing the teaching equipment like the computers, uniforms, and other related stuff is again strict by HMRC. In normal practice, the school employer reimburses the amount you have spent on purchasing this equipment. If this is not the case, you can claim these expenses and get in touch with HMRC. However, you will have to prove that the purchase was a contractual obligation and not a personal choice.
3- Clothing and Journals
The purchase of journals and books that you buy to prepare for the lesson can also come under the category of tax deductions. This can be rejected if you are planning to claim for the expense of a journal or book that you have bought for the sake of your own development and not for the requirement of the job. You need to keep the receipt intact as a part of the proof.
4- Amount of Fees Given to Professional Unions
There are several examples of teachers who have paid fees to professional bodies and unions. The NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers) is one such example of bodies. Your agreement with the unions will help to get the tax relief in the amount of money that you have paid to them.
The Bottom Line
Now that you have gathered a fair amount of information about what are teacher tax deductions in the UK, we can bring the discussion towards wrapping up. The teacher’s deductions of tax are easier to handle if you have an understanding of the criteria that will make you eligible. Otherwise, the chances of your claim expenses are lower and you will not be able to reimburse the number of your expenses.
Get in touch with one of our experts if you are stuck with queries about what are tax deductions in the UK. We will ensure to provide instant help. Give us a call now!
Disclaimer: The information about tax deductions in the UK provided in this blog includes text and graphics in general. This does not intend to disregard any of the professional advice.
