I'm incurring quite a lot of costs associated with my PhD - books, travel, car parking, malaria tablets & prescription etc - which my employer is not paying.
I used to be a Management Accountant and my husband is a semi-retired Chartered Accountant. We have had a discussion and have come to the conclusion that these extra costs should be offsetable against my tax return on the grounds that they are associated with my PhD which my employer requires me to have (but which they are only partially funding). I'm going to put them in my tax return when I do it (and because there's quite a lot there - around £550 last year which equates to about £120 tax rebate - I'll do it sooner rather than later). They have to be wholly and necessarily incurred (so a pc is probably out but the malaria tablets I had to take because I was going to a conference associated with my PhD is in, driving to the Peak District to undertake research is in, flights to the US for research trip / holiday is out).

Not sure if anyone has tried this (and I think it would only apply to those of us who are required by our employers to take a PhD) but I'll keep you posted.

Incidentally I hope you all know that subscriptions to professional bodies (in my case the RGS) are allowable against tax - not a huge amount refunded but better in my pocket than Alistair Darling's (or whoever is in No11 on Friday)

Hi Jepson,

I think you are right. Costs like books, courses, research expenses etc. are tax deductable, as long as costs are not refunded by your employer. However, sometimes it is a matter of negotiation, as the tax man does not accept everything and there are limits regarding how much you can claim.

You seem to have two options: To contact the tax office and ask in advance what would be allowed and based on that fill in your tax return. Alternatively you can fill in the tax return claiming back expenses without contacting them, yet be aware that they may not agree and further investigate. Sometimes you have to pay money back to the tax office, which may be unpleasant.:-)

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Jep Sorry I could not offer any taxing advice. But, you can ask the Tax Returns office I Guess? 'I claimed funds for books, a top spec laptop, electronics equipment and of course travel exp towards conferences from council' The research fund is about 10K/yr that goes to the universities 'if i am not wrong'. Most of that goes unaccounted for... Sorry for this unrelated question 'i read somewhere about different research methodologies posted by you a few days ago can you remind me of the thread plz?' I really do love your great posts.

Thanks for the comments- I don't really need tax advice as my husband was a Chartered Accountnat (and I was a Chartered Management Acocuntant so we have some knowledge of taxation) - I was really asking if anyone had tried it. I'm going to add it to my tax return - I have a letter from my employer saying I have to do a PhD therefore it meets the "wholly necessarily and exclusively" test (which I'm not sure a PC does - might try though) so I can give them the details if they want them. It's not worth that much as it's only tax relief but beter than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick (as we say oop north):p