NHS and care home staff who have had to buy their own personal protective equipment (PPE) so that they can support the nation during the COVID-19 crisis can claim tax relief, say leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.
Paul Haywood-Schiefer, a manager in the firm, said: “At 8pm last night, as with every Thursday, the nation again opened its windows and doors, and clapped its appreciation in support of the fantastic work NHS staff and care workers are doing to help, not just those with COVID-19, but for all the patients in their care.
“Amidst all this goodwill, there have been many stories of shortages of PPE for NHS workers and those in care homes.
“For many, in this situation, who have had to buy their own, and have not been (or only partially) reimbursed by their employer, there is the opportunity to at least claim some tax relief.”
Below, Paul gives some guidance on how NHS and care home staff can make a claim:
“HMRC allows employees (who don’t already complete self-assessment tax returns) to make claims of up to £2,500 on employment related expenses incurred in a tax year, by using a form P87 (if non/partially reimbursed expenses for a tax year exceed this amount, the person will need to register to file a self-assessment tax return and make a claim through that). This includes for uniforms and protective clothing used in the line of duty.
“These claim forms can either be filled in through a person’s government gateway account (which can be set-up if you don’t have one, by following the instructions on the link) or by completing the form on screen, then printing this off and sending it off to HMRC.
Paul Said: “This will allow those who have made such a great sacrifice for the nation, at their own cost, to at least get some of their money back.”