CIS tax refunds & returns for subcontractors.
Contractors deduct tax from your pay before you see it. Many subcontractors overpay — we work out what you really owe and claim the rest back.
How CIS deductions work
Under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), contractors take a percentage off a registered subcontractor's payments and pass it to HMRC: 20% if you're registered, 30% if you're not, and nothing if you have gross payment status. These deductions are advance payments towards your Income Tax and National Insurance — not the final bill.
Why a refund is possible
Deductions are taken from your pay before your business costs and tax-free allowance are counted. When your return is done, your real tax can be lower than what was deducted — and the difference is repaid to you.
What we do
- Work out your income, deductions and allowable expenses — tools, materials you pay for, work clothing and PPE, vehicle costs or mileage, insurance, phone and more
- Prepare and file your Self Assessment return
- Show you the tax due, or the refund, before we file
- Register you for CIS if you're being deducted at 30%
What we need from you
Your UTR and National Insurance number, the monthly payment and deduction statements from each contractor, and a record of your expenses. Lost statements? Your contractor can reissue them.
What it costs
A Self Assessment return is £120 one-off, or £12/month with ongoing bookkeeping and deadline reminders.
Want to see how a refund works with numbers? Read our CIS refund guide.
Common questions
How long after the tax year can I claim?
You can usually claim an overpayment up to four years after the end of the tax year it relates to — so tell us about earlier years too.
Will I definitely get a refund?
Not always. It depends on your income, expenses and other income. We'll tell you before we file.
I work through a limited company — is it the same?
It's handled differently: the company offsets the deductions against its PAYE and National Insurance or reclaims them after year end. Ask us.
I'm taxed at 30% — what do I do?
Register as a subcontractor with HMRC so you're deducted at 20% instead. We can do that for you.
Related
Tell us what you need — we'll come back to you.
Leave your details and a member of the team replies. An IFA-accredited accountant checks everything that needs a real look at your numbers.