Plumbers: that 20% isn't your tax bill
Your contractor takes it off your labour before your van, your tools and the fittings you fronted are counted. Most plumbers have overpaid. Check yours in 60 seconds — free.
- Conservative, accountant-set rules
- Fixed fee, never a cut
- Refund to your account
- Free to check
What plumbers can claim
The everyday costs of being on the tools come off your taxable profit — and most of these get missed. That’s where your refund hides.
Van, fuel & mileage
Running a van between jobs, or mileage if you use your own vehicle for work.
Tools & equipment
Wrenches, pipe cutters, pressure testers and power tools.
Materials you fronted
Pipe, fittings, boiler parts and fixtures you paid for before being reimbursed.
Workwear & PPE
Boots, gloves, knee pads and overalls — and the cost of washing them.
Certification & training
Gas Safe registration, water-regs and CPD courses.
Phone, internet & admin
The work share of your phone and broadband, plus accounting software.
Use of home as office
A reasonable allowance for quoting, invoicing and paperwork done from home.
A worked example
Say you were paid £38,000 over the year as a plumber, with CIS deducted at the standard 20% and a typical plumber expense profile. Here’s roughly how it works out.
- Paid before deductions
- £38,000
- Expenses (trade avg)
- £9,500
- Taxable profit
- £28,500
- Tax + NIC due
- £4,142
- CIS deducted
- £7,600
- Estimated refund
- £3,112–£3,804
Estimate — confirm before you file. Illustrative figures for a £38,000 year — your real numbers will differ. Not a guarantee. You can also claim free at gov.uk.
How it works
You stay in control the whole way — we do the digging and the paperwork, you file your own claim.
- 1
Check your number
Enter what you were paid before deductions and see what you could be owed — free, in about a minute, no sign-up to see your estimate.
- 2
Sign up free
Like your number? Leave your details and we'll set you up. No card, no commitment — checking your estimate is free, and you only pay if we prepare your return.
- 3
Upload your statements
Send us your bank statements and our AI will read every transaction to find the expenses you can claim. Both the AI review and a one-tap UK Open Banking connection are coming soon.
- 4
Refund to your account
You file your own claim and HMRC pays the refund straight into your account. We charge a fixed fee when we hand you the finished return — never a cut of your refund.
Questions, answered
Check your number free
No sign-up to see your estimate. You’ve nothing to lose but the tax you overpaid.
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