[G Griffin]

Receiver will not allow you to claim a % of unmetered water against tax.

They told me I'm paying that amount for residential use anyway whether I was window cleaning or not. Its the same with clothing. If you use ordinary (no logo) clothing for work you can't claim it as you would have to wear clothes anyway.

I wear bib and brace for work. I asked if I could change my business name to Dickies but it went over the interviewer's head. One of the qualifications for working at the Receiver is not to have a sense of humour.

That's not strictly true, Spruce. Even your company name or logo mightn't be enough; it could still be classed as everyday wardrobe. You might get away with it as an advertising expense but you also might not.
A specialist uniform (nurse) and protective gear is ok though. Probably  .
It's not that clear-cut.

I agree and have never gone down the route of wearing and claiming a uniform with a logo. I think you could argue your case with lettered clothing if they allow the cost of sign writing your van as a claimable expense.

The other thing that was mentioned was footwear. If you wear steel capped boots then this was classed as safety equipment and claimable against tax. If you wear standard shoes/trainers/walking boots etc for working then they aren't claimable.

It is unclear about lettered clothing, too. It could be regarded as everyday wear. You might get away with it as an advertising expense but I suppose it all depends on who is asking the questions.

[G Griffin]

So if Vodafone bought their staff red fleeces with Vodafone logo they wouldn’t claim that against their tax??? My conscience is very clean claiming peronalised work wear with my logo on it. Same principle with stationary. That’s why I’m putting my Armani trainers through the books this years 

Vodafone staff are not self employed. Vodafone will claim the expense not the staff.
Clothes are an everyday thing and you will wear them whether you are working or not.
I hope.

[Ched]

You can claim for 'uniform' but not everyday clothes you would wear normally.
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/clothing

Now comes the question of what constitutes a uniform!!!! Does a tee shirt with your logo count?

In my opinion, I am not an accountant, if you have clothes that you have your logo on then it's part of  your uniform.

[G Griffin]

You can claim for 'uniform' but not everyday clothes you would wear normally.
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/clothing

Now comes the question of what constitutes a uniform!!!! Does a tee shirt with your logo count?

In my opinion, I am not an accountant, if you have clothes that you have your logo on then it's part of  your uniform.

It's not a specialist uniform. I'm not saying you wouldn't get away with it though.
A polo shirt with your company logo on isn't classed the same as a uniform.

[Don Kee]

I just don’t bother paying tax, avoids any confusion for what I can or cannot claim for that way.

[Ched]

You can claim for 'uniform' but not everyday clothes you would wear normally.
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-if-youre-self-employed/clothing

Now comes the question of what constitutes a uniform!!!! Does a tee shirt with your logo count?

In my opinion, I am not an accountant, if you have clothes that you have your logo on then it's part of  your uniform.

It's not a specialist uniform. I'm not saying you wouldn't get away with it though.
A polo shirt with your company logo on isn't classed the same as a uniform.

That's the thing about UK tax laws - it's all down to interpretation.
The gov link doesn't mention 'specialist' uniform just uniform.
OK so it's employed but all staff in McDonalds have to wear the 'uniform'. Staff in Halfords again wear a uniform.
So, again my opinion, if you have a 'company' image with logos for work wear then I would say it's a uniform.
The other thing is maybe it should be covered by advertising? As you pay to have logo on clothes to advertise your business?
It is an interesting one though.
To be fair as long as you would be happy to justify your clothing as a business expense to HMRC then I would say it's deductible.  I would guess HMRC doesn't have the resources to go after small businesses as the return (unpaid tax and fine) wouldn't cover the work they require to find the submission error!

[G Griffin]

There's a bit about it here:

http://www.kfaccounting.co.uk/what-business-clothing-expenses/

[Ched]

There's a bit about it here:

http://www.kfaccounting.co.uk/what-business-clothing-expenses/

So basically it's a gray area!
Conspicuous logo, trousers with padded knees and protective boots and you 'should' be fine 

[LBWCS]

So if Vodafone bought their staff red fleeces with Vodafone logo they wouldn’t claim that against their tax??? My conscience is very clean claiming peronalised work wear with my logo on it. Same principle with stationary. That’s why I’m putting my Armani trainers through the books this years 

Vodafone staff are not self employed. Vodafone will claim the expense not the staff.
Clothes are an everyday thing and you will wear them whether you are working or not.
I hope.

Vodafone are a business, being self employed is a business. Both have tax deductible expenses. The staff wouldn’t claim the uniform, but the business would. Being Self employed you are essentially the business. Either way there is an expense to claim

[G Griffin]

So if Vodafone bought their staff red fleeces with Vodafone logo they wouldn’t claim that against their tax??? My conscience is very clean claiming peronalised work wear with my logo on it. Same principle with stationary. That’s why I’m putting my Armani trainers through the books this years 

Vodafone staff are not self employed. Vodafone will claim the expense not the staff.
Clothes are an everyday thing and you will wear them whether you are working or not.
I hope.

Vodafone are a business, being self employed is a business. Both have tax deductible expenses. The staff wouldn’t claim the uniform, but the business would. Being Self employed you are essentially the business. Either way there is an expense to claim

The same rules apply.
I meant if you worked for Vodafone, you'd be given clothing/uniform and claiming for it as an expense wouldn't be down to you.

[G Griffin]

There's a bit about it here:

http://www.kfaccounting.co.uk/what-business-clothing-expenses/

So basically it's a gray area!
Conspicuous logo, trousers with padded knees and protective boots and you 'should' be fine 

I'd say could rather than should.

[Spruce]

There's a bit about it here:

http://www.kfaccounting.co.uk/what-business-clothing-expenses/

I see there is no category for cleaners let alone window cleaners.
https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim32712

Some employees who are given a uniform by their company will have to pay benefit in kind tax.

[G Griffin]

There's a bit about it here:

http://www.kfaccounting.co.uk/what-business-clothing-expenses/

I see there is no category for cleaners let alone window cleaners.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim32712

Some employees who are given a uniform by their company will have to pay benefit in kind tax.

Isn't that laundry expenses, Spruce?

[Spruce]

There's a bit about it here:

http://www.kfaccounting.co.uk/what-business-clothing-expenses/

I see there is no category for cleaners let alone window cleaners.

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim32712

Some employees who are given a uniform by their company will have to pay benefit in kind tax.

Isn't that laundry expenses, Spruce?

 . That's washing what you already have. Now this is something I have never thought about. Then again, we would have to wash our daily wardrobe anyway and it isn't as though we need special washing requirements for our working clothes such as greasy mechanics overalls.

I do add a small electric claim for winter van heating over and above the allowable gas and electric claim for office expenses but washing clothes doesn't really fit into this category. (This additional electric claim varies according to the winter severity. In other words a cold winter will attract a higher claim than a mild one.)

[[GQC] Tim]

Edit. Sorry, misread the topic title. I'm on a water meter. Doh. Ignore the bit below, might still be handy for those who are on a water meter.


Claimed £274 last year on my tax return.

Single operator, use about 550 litres a day, so on a HF-5 RO with 65/35 waste to pure is like what, 1500 ish litres total? Work about 3 days a week so comes to about £275/£250 most years.

I've got a water meter on the system so I can work out exactly the cost of just the water, not the sewage as those are two seperate charges for every cubic meter of water used. I also use the meter to know when to change my Fibredyne 10" pre-filter, 38,000 or so litres.

For the outside tap including the van I've got another meter that counts how much water is used, then each year I do a waste water abatement claim, seeing as that water doesn't go down the drain I don't need to pay waste water charge on that. Which I think works out £100 or £150 or so a year you get back from the water board. This is with Thames water, you need to check your own supplier if they've got an arrangement like that.

Hope that helps.

[[GQC] Tim]

Actually, if I remember correctly, most water companies will install a water meter when a new resident moves in. They do not need your permission to do so, so don't be surprised if the house without water meter all of the sudden gets an unwanted upgrade. So you might find the above information useful.