Tax Rebate for Laundry Expenses: Can You Claim for Washing?

You can claim tax relief on laundry expenses if you meet certain conditions.

Laundry relief falls under the wider Uniform Tax Rebate. It covers the cost of washing a uniform or protective clothing yourself, not repairing or replacing the items themselves, which is a separate part of the claim.

It's one of the more overlooked tax reliefs in the UK, and because you can backdate it by four years, there's a decent amount of money on the table if you've never claimed before. 

In this article, you’ll learn who qualifies, how much you can get, and how to claim it. 

Key points

• Most employees can claim using HMRC's flat-rate allowance 💷
  Instead of keeping receipts, most people claim a fixed annual allowance. The standard allowance is £60, but some occupations qualify for much higher amounts. The tax saving depends on your Income Tax rate rather than the allowance itself.
• The claiming process is quick and straightforward ✅
  Employees typically claim through form P87 or their Personal Tax Account, while self employed people have to claim uniform and laundry costs as business expenses on their Self Assessment tax return.
• You may be able to backdate your claim by up to four tax years 📅
  You can usually claim relief for previous eligible tax years at the same time as the current one, but you’ll need a separate form for each year.
• Keeping detailed expense records makes claiming easier 🚀
  ANNA automatically tracks expenses, stores receipts, estimates your tax bill in real time, and files Self Assessment directly with HMRC. This helps ensure allowable costs like workwear and laundry expenses don't get overlooked when it's time to submit your tax return.

Who can claim a laundry expenses tax rebate?

You can claim if you're an employee who is required to wear and maintain a qualifying work uniform at your own expense.

Common occupations that qualify include:

• Nurses and midwives
• Healthcare assistants
• Ambulance staff
• Police officers
• Firefighters
• Mechanics
• Construction workers who wear branded workwear
• Chefs
• Airline crew
• Manufacturing and engineering workers

What counts as a qualifying uniform?

HMRC draws a clear line between a work uniform and clothes you happen to wear to work. To qualify for the laundry tax rebate, the clothing has to meet these conditions:

• Your employer requires you to wear it
• It's recognisable as a uniform, carries your employer's logo, or is a specific type of clothing required for your role (scrubs, overalls, chef's whites)
• You wash, repair, or replace it at your own expense
• Your employer doesn't wash it for you or give you an allowance that covers the cost

If all of those apply, you can claim the tax rebate.

🧠 Good to know

A dress code alone doesn't make clothing a qualifying uniform. An office worker required to wear a suit can’t claim, because a suit isn't recognisable as belonging to a specific job. 

What doesn't qualify

HMRC specifically excludes:

• Everyday clothes, even if you set them aside exclusively for work and never wear them otherwise
• Clothing that has a dual purpose, such as a fitness kit a personal trainer buys but could also wear to the gym
• A suit or smart outfit required by a dress code
• PPE that your employer is legally required to provide
• Clothing you're reimbursed for by your employer

The main question HMRC asks is whether the clothing is intrinsically work-specific. If someone could reasonably wear it outside of work, it usually won't qualify.

How claiming laundry expenses works

Most employees claim HMRC's flat-rate expense allowance rather than working out their actual laundry costs. 

The flat rate is a fixed annual amount HMRC allows for washing, repairing, and replacing qualifying work uniforms, without requiring you to keep receipts or calculate exactly what you've spent. 

The standard flat-rate allowance is £60 per year for most occupations, but HMRC publishes higher flat-rate allowances for certain industries where uniform maintenance costs are typically higher. 

The allowance reduces your taxable income, so the actual cash you receive depends on the tax rate you pay. 

At the standard £60 flat rate, a basic rate taxpayer gets £12 back (20% of £60), and a higher rate taxpayer gets £24 back (40% of £60).

Here are some allowances for 2026/27:

• Standard rate (all other occupations): £60
• Nurses and midwives: £125
• Ambulance staff: £185
• Police officers: £140
• Mechanics: £120
• Firefighters: £80
• Pilots and flight crew: £1,022

You can find the full list on GOV.UK. If your occupation isn't listed, the £60 standard rate applies. 

Can you claim actual costs instead of the flat rate?

Yes, but only if your actual laundry costs exceed the flat rate for your occupation. To claim these costs, you'll need to keep receipts and submit your claim by post rather than online.

For most people, the flat rate is the better option, since it requires no record-keeping at all. The only situation where it makes sense to claim actual costs is when you can demonstrate genuine expenses that significantly exceed the standard allowance.

🧠 Good to know

If you claim the flat rate, HMRC updates your tax code once your claim is processed and applies the relief automatically each year. You won't need to claim again unless your circumstances change.

How to claim if you're employed

Employed workers claim using form P87. You can complete it online through your Personal Tax Account, or print and post it to: Pay As You Earn, HM Revenue & Customs, BX9 1AS. If posting, write 'Repayment Claim' on the envelope.

The P87 covers claims up to £2,500 in total employment expenses. If your claim across all employment expenses exceeds that, you'll need to register for Self Assessment instead.

Your tax code will be updated for the current tax year, automatically giving you the relief going forward. For backdated years, HMRC will usually issue a refund directly.

You can backdate your claim by up to four tax years, on top of the current year. In practice, this means you have until 5 April of the relevant year to claim relief for that tax year. 

For example, if you're claiming for the 2022/23 tax year, you'll need to do so by 5 April 2027. 

You'll need a separate P87 for each tax year you're backdating. HMRC typically updates your tax code within two days of processing a claim, but when this shows up in your pay depends on your employer's payroll schedule. 

💡 Did you know? 

If you're also self employed on the side, your laundry and uniform costs for that work go on your Self Assessment return as business expenses rather than through a P87. ANNA categorises expenses automatically throughout the year so nothing gets missed when it comes to filing.

How to claim if you're self employed

If you’re self employed, you claim laundry and uniform costs as allowable business expenses on your Self Assessment tax return, under the 'clothing' category.

The same fundamental rules apply: the clothing has to be wholly and exclusively for your business, and it has to be recognisable as work-specific rather than dual-purpose. 

A sole trader who buys branded workwear with their logo on it can claim the full cost as an allowable expense. A freelancer who buys a new outfit for client meetings typically can't, because smart clothing has a personal use too.

There's no flat rate equivalent for self employed people. You can claim the actual costs, and you'll want to keep receipts to support the figures on your return. 

Third-party claims services: Are they worth it?

There are companies that will submit uniform tax claims on your behalf, usually taking a percentage of your refund as a fee. 

For a standard flat rate claim, this isn't necessary. The P87 form is straightforward, the process is free, and HMRC's online system makes it quick to complete.

A third-party service might be useful if you have a complex backdated claim across multiple employments or if you're unsure whether your circumstances qualify. In those cases, an accountant is a better option than a claims management company.

How ANNA helps with self employed expenses

Keeping track of workwear, laundry costs, receipts, and all your other business expenses can quickly become a headache. ANNA brings your bookkeeping, invoicing, and tax admin together in one place, helping you stay organised year-round and making Self Assessment much easier when filing season arrives.

Here’s what ANNA can do for you:

• Automatic bookkeeping: Categorises transactions automatically, helping you keep track of allowable expenses such as branded workwear, uniforms, and laundry costs
• Receipt capture: Stores receipts digitally, providing you with supporting records if HMRC ever asks for them
• Expense tracking: Records business spending in real time, reducing the risk of missing legitimate deductions when you file your tax return
• Business account: Keeps business and personal transactions separate, making it easier to identify claimable expenses throughout the year
• Real-time tax estimates: Shows your estimated tax position as expenses are recorded, so you can see how deductions affect your tax bill
• Smart money pots: Sets aside money for tax automatically, helping you stay prepared for upcoming Self Assessment payments
• Invoice creation: Creates professional invoices and keeps a complete record of business income to support accurate tax reporting
• Free Self Assessment filing: Calculates and submits your Self Assessment return directly to HMRC, including allowable business expenses
• MTD compliance: Keeps digital records and supports Making Tax Digital requirements if your business falls within the MTD regime
• 24/7 support: Provides round-the-clock help if you have questions about expenses, bookkeeping, or filing your tax return

Sign up with ANNA today, and simplify your laundry expenses tax rebate.