How far back can I claim a CIS tax rebate?

You can claim a CIS tax rebate for the last four tax years. The sooner you claim, the sooner you get your money back!

Do I need receipts for my CIS tax rebate claim?

Receipts help, but they are not always necessary. If you have bank statements or mileage logs, we can still help you claim your rebate.

How long does a CIS tax refund take?

Most CIS tax refunds are processed within 8-12 weeks, but this depends on HMRC’s workload.

What expenses can I claim in my CIS tax rebate?

You can claim for expenses like tools, protective gear, fuel, travel costs, training, and other work-related expenses.

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CIS Tax Rebate Calculator

If you work in construction under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), you might’ve paid too much tax. Between long hours, travel costs, tools and safety gear, it’s easy for your expenses to stack up and for HMRC to owe you money back. That’s where RIFT’s free CIS tax rebate calculator comes in. It takes less than a minute to see how much you could reclaim, with no forms or faff. Most CIS subcontractors are due an annual refund worth thousands, and we’ve been helping people like you claim it back for nearly 25 years. Use our free CIS tax rebate calculator now and find out what you could get back from HMRC today.

Questions

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)

Select tax year

25/26

24/25

What is your employment status working in construction?

Self-Employed

Full time PAYE

How much was your annual pay before tax? * £

How much are your annual expenses? * £

Are you registered for CIS?

Yes

Results

ESTIMATED TAXES PAID

£0

CIS DEDUCTIONS

£0

APPROXIMATE REFUND DUE

£0

CIS Tax Rebates
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How to use our CIS tax rebate calculator

Getting your CIS tax refund estimate couldn’t be easier. Our free calculator gives you an instant result based on just a few simple details. That means no maths, no jargon and no commitment. This is how it works:

Choose your employment status. Pick whether you’re working under CIS or PAYE. If you're PAYE click here
Enter your annual pay and expenses. Include what you earn and what you’ve spent on tools, travel, mileage or PPE.
Get your estimated refund instantly. You’ll see straight away how much tax you could claim back. This will be just an estimate until we speak to you and do your paperwork.

It’s free, secure and takes less than a minute. Your estimate is a quick snapshot based on what you tell us. When you start your claim, we’ll check your figures, confirm the exact amount and make sure you get every penny you’re owed.

With RIFT, you’ll always know where you stand. No guesswork, no hassle. Just a fast, accurate refund estimate to get you started.

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Who can claim a CIS tax rebate?

If you're working under the CIS (Construction Industry Scheme), chances are you're due a CIS tax refund. Most subcontractors have tax deducted at 20% but once you add up your costs, that's often far too much. You can claim a CIS rebate if you work in trades like:

Builders and bricklayers
Electricians and plumbers
Groundworkers and plant operators
Decorators, joiners and roofers
Labourers and general trades

Basically, if you've spent your own money to do your job, you could be owed a refund. Common claimable expenses include:

Tools, equipment and protective gear (PPE)
Travel, and mileage to different sites
Meals and accommodation while working away
Professional fees or training costs

The average CIS refund through RIFT is over £3,000. That's money that could go straight back into your pocket. So, don’t leave money on the table. If you’ve spent your own money to do your job, it could be due back to you. Our CIS tax rebate calculator is the easiest way to find out how much you’re owed.

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You can claim for

Travel
Tools, equipment and PPC
Accomodation
Laundry
Food

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2025-26 Tax YearWhat is the 2025-2026 personal tax allowance?

The standard Personal Allowance for the 2025/26 tax year is £12,570. If you qualify for this, as most people will, it means that you won’t pay a penny of Income Tax on your earnings until you hit that threshold. In other words, if you’re earning over £12,570, only your income above the threshold will be taxed.

When you’re paid under CIS, your contractor usually deducts 20% tax from your earnings before you’re even paid. It sounds straightforward, but it often means you’re handing over too much.

If you’ve had breaks between jobs, paid for your own tools or travelled to different sites, your actual tax bill is probably lower than what’s already been deducted.

That’s where your refund comes in. RIFT checks your income, expenses and CIS deductions to work out exactly what HMRC owes you and makes sure you get it back quickly and accurately.

25-26 personal allowance

How RIFT helps make CIS tax rebates easy

Claiming your CIS tax refund doesn't have to be complicated. With RIFT, it's done properly. Fast and accurate and without the stress. We've been helping construction workers get their tax back for over 25 years, and we know every trick in HMRC's book/ That means:

Your Self Assessment tax return done for you. No forms, no fuss. We handle the paper work from start to finish.
All your expenses included. From tools and travel to meals and mileage, we make sure nothing gets missed.
HMRC handled directly. We talk to them so you don't have to.
Fixed fee, no hidden costs. You'll always know what you're paying and it only comes out once your refund's approved.

We're proud that 96% of customers recommend RIFT. Our RIFT guarantee means you'll never be left out of pocket if HMRC disagrees with your claim. That's how confident we are in our work.

We've already claimed back over £400 million for construction workers across the UK, helping people like you get their hard-earned cash back where it belongs.

If you have been working PAYE (on the books) and need to switch to CIS for all or part of the tax year we can help sort it out.

Try our CIS tax rebate calculator today, and if you’ve got questions, we’re always here to help.

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FAQs: CIS tax rebates explained

How far back can I claim a tax rebate?

You can claim a CIS tax rebate for up to four tax years. So in the 2025/26 tax year, you could still claim for any work done since April 2021. The sooner you start your claim, the quicker you’ll get what you’re owed.

Do I need receipts to claim expenses?

Receipts help, yes. However, RIFT can often estimate your expenses using industry averages and your work patterns. If you’ve kept records for tools, travel or PPE, that’s great, but don’t worry if you haven’t.

How long does a CIS tax rebate take?

Once your claim is submitted to HMRC, most CIS refunds are paid within 2-8 weeks. With RIFT’s help, you’ll avoid delays and get updates every step of the way.

What's the average CIS tax refund amount?

The average CIS tax refund through RIFT is over £3,000. Your amount depends on your income, expenses and how much tax has been deducted, but we’ll make sure you get the maximum you’re owed.

Can I still claim if I changed jobs or stopped working?

Even if you’ve left construction or switched to PAYE, you can still claim a CIS rebate for the years you worked under the scheme.

Do I need to be CIS registered to claim a refund?

You can still get a CIS tax refund even if you weren’t officially registered, though unregistered workers are usually taxed at a higher rate of 30%. RIFT can sort it all out with HMRC.

Can RIFT help if I missed the deadline?

If you've missed any CIS tax return deadlines we can help limit the damage and any penalties you may incur.

What happens after I submit my claim?

We’ll prepare and file your Self Assessment, talk to HMRC on your behalf and confirm your refund amount. You’ll just need to sit back and wait for your money to land.

CIS deductions explained

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