Anyone who wears a specific uniform to work could be missing out on hundreds of pounds in unclaimed tax benefits. On the MoneySavingExpert website, a member of Martin Lewis‘ team claimed that people have just weeks to make a specific claim.

They wrote: “If you wear a uniform at work and have to wash, repair or replace it yourself, you may be able to reclaim £100s of tax for up to five years of expenses. You can reclaim whether it’s just a branded T-shirt or if you’re a fully uniformed pilot, police officer or nurse.”

Am I even eligible?

The first step in this process is determining whether your specific circumstances make you eligible for this refund, and that requires meeting a few different criteria. Firstly, the clothing must make for a “recognisable uniform” that your employer “requires you to wear while you’re working”.

People must be required to “purchase, clean, repair or replace” the uniform themselves. The MSE website adds: “You can’t claim if your employer washes your kit, provides facilities to do so – even if you don’t use them – or pays you for doing this maintenance.”

And, importantly, people wanting to get this refund must have “paid income tax in the year you are claiming for”. This is because the perk is meant to reduce your tax liability.

How much money can I get back?

If you pass all of the criteria to claim, the amount will vary depending on different circumstances. MSE reported that the standard flat-rate expense allowance for uniform maintenance is £60, adding: “By claiming a uniform tax refund, you’ll get back the amount of tax you would otherwise have paid on that £60.”

The role you have might increase the amount of money that can be claimed back through a uniform tax rebate. Check the full list of occupations to see if yours is listed.

• The allowance for firefighters and fire officers is £80 (basic-rate taxpayers can get £16, higher-rate taxpayers £32)
• The allowance for dental nurses and healthcare assistants is £125 (basic-rate taxpayers can get £25, higher-rate taxpayers £50)
• Pilots’ and co-pilots’ allowance is £1,022 (basic-rate taxpayers can get £204, higher-rate taxpayers £408.80)
• Mechanics’ allowance is £120 (basic-rate taxpayers can get £24, higher rate £48)

Is there a deadline?

In addition to the current 2025/26 allowance, you can backdate your claim by up to four tax years too (currently 2021/22, 2022/2023, 2023/24 and 2024/25) – so five years in total. If you’re a basic-rate taxpayer who wore a uniform in each of the five tax years, your rebate will be worth £60.

You’ll have until April 5, 2026, to claim the relief for 2021/22. After that, you’ll lose the ability to backdate for that year.

You can apply online or by post. You’ll need to fill in form P87 online. You can also print it out and send to: Pay As You Earn, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), BX9 1AS. Write ‘Repayment Claim’ on the envelope. If applying by post, you’ll need to fill in a form for each year you’re claiming for.

If you need the form in an alternative format, contact HMRC on 0300 200 3310. You’ll be asked for information on:

• Employer’s name and address
• Your occupation, job title and industry sector
• Your details, including your national insurance number and your pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) reference
• Whether you’re claiming flat-rate expenses (usually you will be, if not, you’ll need detailed records of costs)
• How you want to be paid – into your bank account or by cheque