Police Office Uniform Tax Rebate
The way police officers dress is important because it must convey a message of teamwork, unity, organization and power. The police officer’s uniform is a form of non-verbal communication. When an officer arrives on scene, his or her uniform is meant to grab your attention, command respect and demonstrate consistency, strength and competence.
These days wearing uniform is common with the paramilitary organizations like police etc and the armed forces. These help them, stand out of the crowd so that they can be easily recognizable and also distinguish them for the service they do. These uniforms not only make them feel proud but also have an imposing effect on others and with the presence of a person in uniform, can change the mood of people around.
The importance of presenting a professional appearance to the public by members of this department cannot be over-emphasized. The citizen’s perception of the police department’s standards of appearance and grooming materially impacts their impression of officers’ ability to accomplish its mission and goals. All department personnel should strive to present a professional appearance reflecting the highest standards.
The good news is that you get a refund or the time, energy and money you have spent taking care of you uniform, this allowance is available to everyone in the police force, from community support workers to Chief Inspectors, and even for back office staff.
The amount of tax that you could claim depends on the job you are doing. The standard flat-rate expense allowance (FREA) wish are are set amounts that HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has agreed are typically spent each year by employees in different occupations.
If your occupation isn’t listed on the HMRC website, you may still be able to claim a standard annual amount of £60 in tax relief, however If your uniform has more specific requirements, then you will often get a higher allowance, the maximum is £140.
You can also claim tax back on the cost of your Police Federation subscriptions. Depending on which federation you pay to and the rate of tax you pay, you could be due between £50 and £100 extra back each year in tax on your fees.
You can claim for the last four years plus the current year, as long as you’ve been wearing the uniform for this length of time. Once you claim, your tax code will change so that you’ll pay less tax in the future.
Making a claim
If you’re claiming a tax allowance for the first time or you paid out more than £1,000, you will need to Fill in the P87 form online, you can submit it online also there are a lot of websites that offer to do this for you, but as most charge a fee, you can avoid this by doing it yourself for free.
You can also claim by post, you’ll have to fill in the P87 form online and print it out and send it to Pay As You Earn, HM Revenue and Customs, BX9 1AS. Write ‘Repayment Claim’ on the envelope to speed things up. You’ll need to fill in one form for each year you’re claiming for.
On the P87 form you will asked information on:
- Employer’s name and address
- Your occupation, job title and industry sector
- Your details, including your National Insurance Number and your PAYE reference
- Whether you’re claiming flat rate expenses
- How you want to be paid – into your bank account or by cheque
You’ll need to fill in one form for each year that you are claiming for. Once your claim has been received and processed by HMRC, you’ll receive a letter telling you much you’re entitled to and when the money will be paid.