Loughborough UCU

Tag: tax

  • Reduce Your UCU Subscription Cost by Claiming Tax Relief

    As we’ve entered a new tax year, it’s a great time to remind UCU members that you may be able to reduce the cost of your union subscription by claiming tax relief from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

    How does it work?

    UCU is an HMRC‑approved professional body. This means eligible members can claim income tax relief on up to 67% of their annual UCU subscription, at the tax rate that applies to their earnings.

    How much could you claim back?

    The exact amount depends on how much you earn, your UCU subscription rate & whether you pay basic or higher‑rate tax.

    As an example:

    • A basic‑rate taxpayer could typically reclaim 20% of 67% (13.4%) of your annual subscription
    • A higher‑rate taxpayer could reclaim 40% of 67% (26.8%) of your annual subscription

    Even modest claims can add up, especially if you’re claiming for multiple years.

    You can backdate your claim

    You don’t just have to claim for the current tax year. HMRC allows you to claim for up to four previous tax years, as long as you were a UCU member during that time and haven’t already claimed.

    How do you claim?

    You can claim tax relief in whichever way suits you best:

    • Online, via your Government Gateway account
    • By post, using HMRC’s form
    • By phone, by contacting HMRC directly

    When completing your claim, UCU subscriptions should be listed under “professional fees and subscriptions”.

    All the guidance you need, including what figures to use and how to submit your claim, is available on the national UCU website here.

    Don’t leave it unclaimed

    Claiming tax relief on your UCU membership is straightforward, legitimate, and could save you money every year. With the new tax year now underway, it’s an ideal moment to make sure you’re not missing out.

  • Reduce Your UCU Subscription Cost by Claiming Tax Relief

    It’s that time of year again so here is your reminder that UCU members can claim tax relief on up to 67% of their total annual subscription, at the tax rate applicable to their earnings. You can claim this tax relief online, by post or via telephone. You have up to four years to claim for each tax year. All the information you require to make a claim is available on the UCU website, here.

  • Check with HMRC if your UCU membership is listed in your tax code

    On UCU strike? Facing another week of lost pay? Do one quick thing today to help – check with HMRC to get your UCU membership listed in your tax code under ‘professional subscriptions’.

    You can claim back to 2017/18 at the moment, but be quick as that will roll over to 2018/19 onwards soon as tax year ends this month. You’ll need the annual amounts you’ve paid to UCU to hand (a quick check of online banking/UCU direct debit) for each year, including this one. The same applies for most professional memberships related to your job.

    You can also check that it’s on your tax code for the new tax year about to start 22/23 (letters sent recently).

    Online can take up to 15 days, so given we are close to end of tax year, we suggest you call 0300 200 3300 with just your NI number and your UCU annual debited amount for the past few years. If you do wish to complete online please click here.

    You can also find guidance on this from national UCU here.

    LUCU Committee