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CIS Tax Rebate calculator

Construction worker? Quickly calculate how big your CIS tax rebate is and what expenses you can claim. Sometimes you can claim expenses even without receipts - use this calculator to see if you qualify.

If you work in construction, most likely your contractor takes a 20% flat from your pay and gives it to HMRC as part of the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).

By doing your CIS tax return you can claim back what you spent on things like equipment, clothing, meals, and travel. Plus you get back your tax-free Personal Allowance!

That’s an average tax rebate of £2,000.

What is the CIS tax rebate?

When you work in construction, you’re encouraged to join the Construction Industry Scheme (also known as CIS, by those in the trade👷). It’s a scheme used by HMRC to make sure those working in construction pay tax correctly. Many contractors will only take subcontractors on if they’re registered for CIS.

When you’re not registered for the scheme, your contractor will automatically deduct 30% tax from your monthly wages. This is almost always more than you should owe. But when you’re part of the scheme, this automatic deduction is reduced to 20%.

Even this 20% though often works out to be more than you owe because it’s not based on a tax code. As a result, you usually end up being due a rebate at the start of the next tax year.

How much will I get back?

We’re glad you asked! That’s exactly why we have the calculator for you to use.

Generally, construction workers claim back an average of roughly £2,000, but it depends on your individual earnings and expenses.

Expenses, you say?

Yes. When you’re self-employed, you can claim back your work spending so you only pay tax on your profits. Put more simply, this means if you spend money on your business or construction work, you can deduct the cost of this from your earnings when calculating tax. This can be anything from supplies to equipment and more. It essentially means that you’re not paying tax on your overall income but only on the profits that you’ve made.

Here are some examples of things that might be considered business spending by HMRC:

Vehicle expenses (e.g. fuel, repairs)
Tools (gloves, helmets, drills etc.)
Accounting costs
Marketing costs
Phone bill (for a work phone)
Builders’ liability insurance

Basically, you can deduct anything that you bought wholly, exclusively and necessarily for your business. Be aware though, you’re not allowed to expense the cost of your van. Instead, you can claim what’s known as the mileage allowance to cover the cost of petrol. If you want to know how much you can claim for this, use our handy Mileage Calculator.