Money Savvy Series: Reclaim your money!

 

Last week in our Money Savvy series, you were given some tips on how to make extra money from renting out the things that you already own. We had a few shocked messages, especially about the renting out of your car parking space and also using your home as a location spot. Give it a read here. 

The fourth instalment of our Money Savvy Series explores the idea of reclaiming the money that some companies have taken from you, when they shouldn’t have. 

Reclaim that tax!

We’re specifically talking about a tax rebate for uniform wearers. Think of NHS workers, factory workers, etc where you HAVE to wear a specific uniform for work and if you’ve had to purchase it, wash, repair and replace it yourself, you may be able to reclaim tax for up to five years of expenses. You’ll need to follow this link for more information and to check if you qualify. 

Reclaim bank account fees

Some bank accounts require you to pay a certain amount each month to access “extras” such as car insurance, and discounts off restaurants etc. If you were mis-sold this account or if you have never been able to access the benefits, then you could be eligible to reclaim those fees. You will need to contact your bank in the first instance. If they reject your claim then you have the option of taking your claim to the Financial Ombudsman for free. 

Reclaim money from tax code errors

Occasionally, you may be placed on an incorrect tax code which means that you may have paid too much (or too little – it works both ways) in tax. 

In order to find out what tax code you are on, check your payslip, P60 or even log onto your government gateway account. If you are on the incorrect tax code, or suspect that you are, then contact HMRC and they will sort it out for you. 

Ever been delayed on public transport?

Reclaim the cost of your ticket for delays that you have encountered, however there are some caveats to that. Some rail companies require you to have been delayed for a minimum of 15 minutes and have been unable to use the ticket on another train, however check with the company that you bought the ticket from. 

Currently you will need to follow the train company’s refund policy, however the government has recently announced a new way of centralised refunding yet this has not yet been rolled out. 

This also works for flight delays. If you are delayed by more than three hours or your original flight is cancelled, you may be entitled to compensation. We’re not saying that this is an easy process but if you are prepared to write to the airline involved and you are willing to chase them, then you could reclaim the cost of that flight. 

This is a right under EU law which has now been written into UK law following Brexit so it is here to stay. To find out how to claim for compensation then a quick internet search will help you and/or check your airline’s policy. 

CLAIM the correct benefits

There are benefits out there that are not being claimed. A brilliant tool to use in order to find out what you are entitled to is https://www.entitledto.co.uk/ You may find that you are entitled to help for childcare costs for instance.

So there you have it – a few ways that you can potentially increase your income by reclaiming money that you have paid out needlessly. Let us know if you use any of the tips or even if we have missed something out!