Moving Abroad? Claim a Tax Refund from HMRC

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Moving Abroad? Claim a Tax Refund from HMRC

According to the Office of National Statistics, more than 395,000 people left the UK to move abroad in 2008, an increase of 24% on the previous year. Each week we receive a number of questions from people asking if they can claim a tax refund if they are moving abroad. Our tax experts answer some of the most common questions on this subject, if you do not find an answer to your question, please send is an E-mail:

Can I claim a tax refund when leaving the UK to move abroad?
Yes. If you have been working in the tax year before leaving the UK you will be able to claim a tax refund. Everyone that works in the UK is given a tax free allowance. In the 2009/2010 tax year this was £6475. This tax free allowance is usually spread evenly throughout the year so that you receive part of the allowance in each pay packet. If you move abroad part way through the tax year, you will not have received your total tax free allowance and as a result you will be due a tax refund.

Can I claim all my tax back when moving abroad?
It depends on how much you have earned and how much you have paid in the tax year. If you have earned less than the tax free allowance (£6475 in the 2009/2010 tax year) you will be able to claim back any tax that you have paid. If you have earned more than the allowance you will still be able to make a claim, but the amount you receive will depend upon your total income and the total already paid in tax.

How can I calculate my tax rebate?
You can calculate your tax rebate for previous years by taking your P60, which should be given to you by your employer every April or May. Input the income and tax figures from the P60 into the tax refund calculator to calculate your rebate.

If you have finished working because you are moving abroad, your employer should have given you a P45. Input the tax and income figures from this into the tax refund calculator to calculate your tax refund.

I do not have my P45/P60 can I still make a claim?
Yes. If you do not have a P45/P60 you can get a statement of earnings from your previous employer. The Inland Revenue will accept a statement of earnings as a replacement for a P60 or P45.

I moved abroad 3 years ago; can I still claim a tax refund?
Yes. The furthest back you can make a claim is 6 years in arrears. If you moved abroad anytime in the last 6 years and did not make a claim, now is your chance!

How do I claim my tax refund?
You can either make a claim yourself or you can use a tax refund agent to help you make your claim. If you are making the claim yourself, you will need:

Any P45/P60’s
A P91 – Employment History form
P85/P86 – Leaving/Entering the UK forms
Covering Letter

These will need to be completed and sent to your local tax office.

Can I claim a National Insurance refund when moving abroad?
If you are still resident in the UK you can make a National insurance rebate claim. If you have left the UK already, unfortunately it is too late.

Moving Abroad?
Claim a tax refund

Anonymous - Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

my parents left the country about14 years ago can they claim their tax back?

TaxFix - Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Hi Anonymous,

Sorry the deadline for claiming tax refunds is currently 6 years. If you wait longer then this your tax refund expires, sorry.

Anonymous - Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

how long does it take to get a refund

TaxFix - Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Refunds usually take between 6-8 weeks, but at the moment due to it being the end of the tax year and the Inland Revenue implementing new systems there are some back logs.

Anonymous - Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Hi
my job came to and end in march/april 2008, I travelled a bit, then moved abroad(EU) in january 2009, I have not worked since, in may 2009 i got married to someone from that country. what is the situation? it’s now tax return time for the year 2009 here, running jan to dec (what tax year would it be for the UK?) Is there anything I need to know or do? Thanks

TaxFix - Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Anonymous: We can not say for other EU countries. But for the UK you would only need to do a tax return if you meet certain criteria.

Confused - Thursday, July 1st, 2010

My employer has just agreed a pay increase and backdated it to April 2009. They have paid it on this months salary a sum of £2100. If it had been paid last year it would have taken me only £240 over my taxable allowance as I get a tax free overseas living allowance of £288 a month as well as the usual £6475. SO i would have been taxed on the £240. Also as i have had an extra £2100 in this years wages already i will earn much more than my tax free allowance, this would not be the case if i had not had this payment for last year and would have only been a couple of hundred over. Is there anything i can do. Sounds stingy gripeing over a few hundred pounds, but the pay rise will be eaten in tax otherwise and we already earn peanuts Thanks

Fernando - Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

hi there!!

I have been in UK since Oct 2003 and since that time I have worked full time. I am moving back to my country and I would like to know if I can get the tax back from all the years that I’ve been working here.

TaxFix - Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Fernando: If you are leaving the UK you can claim a tax rebate. When you finish working you will be given a P45, when you have this you can claim your tax rebate by applying here. You may be able to claim for other years, depending on how much you earned and how much you paid in tax.

NA - Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Hi
I am just wondering about tax refund
I am a british citizen granted in May this year bur now I might move to another EEU country.
In that case I would like to claim my tax refund.
also some answers from you, you said it is possible to get all the years tax refund etc etc…I have lived here since 2002 and been working. so I might get for the last 8yrs then? Finally I also would like to know about NI rebate? I am not sure about this NI thing can you kindly explain?
If I do this, It means that I am no longer eligible to receive any treatment for free from NHS ?
I am moving to abroad to look for the job so….If I get injured or anything during the period, what happen?
Thanks

TaxFix - Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

NA: If you leave the UK you can claim a tax rebate. When you finish working you will be given a P45, when you have this you can make a claim by applying here.

marcela - Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

hi, i have been working in the uk for the last 2 years, but i am going back to italy for good and want to claim my taxes back, how can i do it by myself?

TaxFix - Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

marcela: If you are leaving the UK you can claim a tax refund. When you stop working you will be given a P45 when you have this you can claim your tax refund by contacing your local tax office and completing a P91, P85,P86 and a covering letter.

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<p>According to the Office of National Statistics, more   than 395,000 people left the UK to move abroad in 2008, an increase of 24% on   the previous year. Each week we receive a number of questions from people asking   if they can claim a tax refund if they are moving abroad. Our tax experts answer   some of the most common questions on this subject, if you do not find an answer   to your question, please send is an <a href="mailto:movingabroad@taxfix.co.uk" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">E-mail</a>:</p>
<p><strong>Can I claim a tax refund when leaving the UK to   move abroad?</strong><br />
Yes. If you have been working in the tax year before   leaving the UK you will be able to claim a tax refund. Everyone that works in   the UK is given a tax free allowance. In the 2009/2010 tax year this was £6475.   This tax free allowance is usually spread evenly throughout the year so that you   receive part of the allowance in each pay packet. If you move abroad part way   through the tax year, you will not have received your total tax free allowance   and as a result you will be due a tax refund.</p>
<p><strong>Can I claim all my tax   back when moving abroad?<br />
</strong>It depends on how much you have earned and how   much you have paid in the tax year. If you have earned less than the tax free   allowance (£6475 in the 2009/2010 tax year) you will be able to claim back any   tax that you have paid. If you have earned more than the allowance you will   still be able to make a claim, but the amount you receive will depend upon your   total income and the total already paid in tax.</p>
<p><strong>How can I calculate my tax rebate?</strong><br />
You can   calculate your tax rebate for previous years by taking your <a href="http://taxfix.co.uk/tax-back-articles/Inland-Revenue-P60.html" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/taxfix.co.uk');" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">P60</a>, which should be given to you by your employer every April or May.   Input the income and tax figures from the P60 into the <a href="http://taxfix.co.uk/income-tax-calculator.html" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/taxfix.co.uk');" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">tax refund calculator</a> to calculate your rebate.</p>
<p>If you have finished working because you are moving   abroad, your employer should have given you a <a href="http://taxfix.co.uk/tax-back-articles/Inland-Revenue-P45.html" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/taxfix.co.uk');" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">P45</a>. Input the tax and income figures from this into the <a href="http://taxfix.co.uk/income-tax-calculator.html" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/taxfix.co.uk');" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">tax refund calculator</a> to calculate your tax refund.</p>
<p><strong>I do not have my P45/P60 can I still make a   claim?</strong><br />
Yes. If you do not have a P45/P60 you can get a statement of earnings   from your previous employer. The Inland Revenue will accept a statement of   earnings as a replacement for a P60 or P45.</p>
<p><strong>I moved abroad 3 years ago; can I still claim a   tax refund?</strong><br />
Yes. The furthest back you can make a claim is 6 years in   arrears. If you moved abroad anytime in the last 6 years and did not make a   claim, now is your chance!</p>
<p><strong>How do I claim my tax refund?</strong><br />
You can either   make a claim yourself or you can use a <a href="http://www.taxfix.co.uk/claim"  target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">tax refund agent </a>to help you make   your claim. If you are making the claim yourself, you will   need:</p>
<ul type="disc" style="padding-top:10px;">
<li>Any P45/P60’s</li>
<li>A P91 – Employment History form</li>
<li>P85/P86 – Leaving/Entering the UK forms</li>
<li>Covering Letter</li>
</ul>
<p>These will need to be completed and sent to your   local tax office.</p>
<p><strong>Can I claim a National Insurance refund when   moving abroad?<br />
</strong>If you are still resident in the UK you can make   a <a href="http://www.taxfix.co.uk/National-Insurance-Redirect.html"  target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">National insurance rebate   claim</a>. If you have left the UK already,   unfortunately it is too late.</p>
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<div><a href="http://www.taxfix.co.uk/claim.html" ><img src="../../../images/apply.gif" border="0" alt="apply for a tax rebate" width="140" height="20" /></a></div>
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<p>Article Source: <em><a href="http://www.taxfix.co.uk/articles/moving-abroad-claim-a-tax-refund-from-hmrc.html" title="Moving Abroad? Claim a Tax Refund from HMRC">Moving Abroad? Claim a Tax Refund from HMRC</a></em></p>

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Moving Abroad? Claim a Tax Refund from HMRC

Moving Abroad? Claim a tax refund

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Moving Abroad?
Claim a tax refund