'Tax relief’ means that you either:
- pay less tax to take account of money you have spent on specific things, like business expenses if you are self-employed
- get tax back or get it repaid in another way, like into a personal pension
You get some types of tax relief automatically - but some you must apply for.
When you can get Tax Relief
Tax relief applies to:
- pension contributions
- charity donations
- maintenance payments
- time spent working on a ship outside the UK
It also applies to work or business expenses – you may be able to:
- get tax relief on what you spend running your business if you are self-employed (a sole trader or partner in a partnership)
- claim tax relief if you are employed and you use your own money for travel and things that you must buy for your job