OT: Anyone know about mileage tax relief?

I've just found out that I can claim tax relief on the mileage I've done for the company using my own car, for the last 6  years.

This is based on the difference between what they are allowed to pay and what they've actually paid.

How does it work though?

If for instance, I'd been paid £600 in mileage expenses, and I could have claimed £1000, a difference of £400, do they give me the £400 as a cheque, or is it only a tax benefit of 20% of that figure?

I don't know how it works

You'd be entitled to tax relief on the difference i.e. 20% of £400.

If this is an average every year, they may not send you a cheque but will adjust your tax code.  Where I work, some people get a cheque, others like me just get a higher tax allowance.

Mhairi.  I have the last 5 years of expenses that I can put together (I know there are more that I can claim but I don't have the details and neither do work as the people left and we've changed systems too)

I think I'll be looking at £2k+ that I'll be claiming tax relief on. 

I didn't have any of my old records when I put in a big claim (5 years) a few years back.  I just made up spreadsheets showing my average mileage for a month. 

I think you can go back 7 years?

Don't hold your breath though - it ook months to come through.  Now though, they just send me a form each year to complete and they send me a new tax code each April.

I didn't have any of my old records when I put in a big claim (5 years) a few years back.  I just made up spreadsheets showing my average mileage for a month. 

I think you can go back 7 years?

Don't hold your breath though - it took months to come through.  Now though, they just send me a form each year to complete and they send me a new tax code each April.

Thank you again.  I spoke to the tax office today and they said I could go back to the 2002-2003 tax year.  I started with this company in the 2003-2004 tax year, so I just need to try and work out what journeys I took then, and what I was paid for them.