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  1. How to claim tax back for your work uniform

    How to claim tax back for your work uniform

    If you’re required to wear specific clothes during your work hours – whether that’s personalised workwear or a more recognisable uniform, like a dental nurse’s tunic or police attire – and you cover your costs for washing and small repairs, you could be entitled to £100s of tax for up to five years’ expenses.

    Better yet, you can do this without consulting expensive firms of solicitors for help. Simply fill out a P87 form and do it yourself – for FREE.

    How do I claim uniform tax?

    You can claim uniform tax for the previous five years if you can prove you have been wearing a uniform that whole time. Simply fill in a P87 form on the direct.gov website – and either submit it online or print it out and post the old-fashioned way. You’ll need to fill out one form per each year of your claim.

    Am I entitled to claim back my laundry costs?

    There are a few requirements you’ll have to meet.

    Your employer requires you to wear the uniform during work hours or business activity.

    You must wear clothing which is recognised as being a work uniform. This can be something as simple as a t-shirt branded with your company’s name, a certain ‘dress code’ you must adhere to for work, and of course more recognisable uniforms like medical staff or the emergency services.

    You paid income tax in the year(s) you’re claiming back for.

    You’re required to purchase, clean or replace it yourself. If you’re required to make small repairs (sewing on buttons, fixing zips – that kind of thing) that also counts.

    If you’re in the police force, check your specific force’s arrangements.

    If you’re self-employed, you should claim uniform and laundry expenses when filling in your self-assessment tax return.

    It is important to note that this does not apply if your employer washes your kit, provides the facilities to do so or pays for this maintenance.

    You’ll be asked to submit this information: –

    Your occupation, job title and industry sector

    Employer’s name and address

    Your National Insurance Number and PAYE reference

    How you want to be paid – into your bank account or by cheque

    Once your claim has been processed, you’ll receive a letter explaining how much you’re entitled to and when the money will be paid. Just bear in mind it could take up to five weeks to process a claim.

    Once you’ve made a claim the first time around, your tax code should adjust automatically and save you from claiming manually the next time. If it hasn’t, simply call Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on 0300 200 3300.

    What amount could I get back?

    The amount you’re entitled to depend on the industry you work in.

    The standard flat-rate allowance for uniform maintenance is £60; if you’re a basic-rate taxpayer, you can claim 20% of this (£12) back. Higher-rate payers can reclaim 40% (£24). Other occupations have

    more specific limits, such as ambulance staff, with a maximum of £185.

    So, remember for all your workwear requirements look no further than the team at Logos 4 Clothes. Call us on 01400 230 180 or email us info@logos4clothes.com.

  2. Be Your Branding Billboard

    So you’ve got your business card, yes? Maybe even a website tailored and branded with your company logo with images and content that display what your company is about and the services you provide. You might even have a small or large marketing budget that allows you to place advertisements in media that your local, national or international customer base visit frequently.

    So how else do customers find your products or services? Still to this day, word of mouth one of the most powerful marketing tools there is. No matter how big your marketing budget, you cannot buy the belief and trust that a friend will give somebody when they recommend a company they have had a good experience with.

    So how about the next best thing? What you wear.

    To fully appreciate the impact that branding your workwear can have, we need to dig a little deeper to understand the human psyche.

    There’s a reason why Ralph Lauren embroiders their clothing with their logo. Well, there’s two. One, you can instantly recognise what brand of the polo shirt is being worn, and, in the process, whoever is wearing that polo shirt is advertising Ralph Lauren.

    And two, it makes the wearer feel fantastic; “I don’t sell clothes, I sell a lifestyle”.

    Now, the majority of workwear isn’t going to be a £100 Ralph Lauren polo shirt. But the same principles apply. By branding your workwear either with embroidery or print you are achieving several things. You and your staff are a walking, talking billboard for your company. Whether you pop into town for your lunch or are out and about in general, people will notice your website address on your back or a logo on the front of your shirt.

    By branding your workwear you are making a statement. “This is what I believe in. I’m proud to work for this company.” If you believe in your company, so will your customers.

    Initiating a staff workwear policy with branded clothing can instil a sense of pride in your staff. A sense of belonging and being part of a team.

    Also, and quite an important but simple note to remember, is to make sure your workwear is fresh, clean and presentable. Make sure you ditch the tired, dirty workwear and replace it regularly to keep you and your staff looking fresh and smart. If you look untidy and ‘unkept’ that doesn’t give the best message for your company. Allowing your staff to wear clothing with holes or logos flaking off can do more harm than good to the reputation of your business.

    And remember, first impressions are so important and do count!

    For all your personalised clothing and workwear why not contact the team at Logos 4 Clothes on 01400 230 180 or email info@logos4clothes.com.

  3. 5 Reasons Why Creating a Uniform is a Great Idea for your Business

    1. It Promotes Trust

    In the same way that a police uniform identifies a law officer to you, a uniform can identify someone which is out in the future making a service call or travelling to visit a customer home. A uniform eases the mind of the customers letting a plumber into their homes, or handing over the keys to a motorbike mechanic when their bike needs servicing.

    1. A sense of belonging

    Employees wearing the same clothes feel a sense of commonness and belonging. This is quite difficult to achieve otherwise and adds a degree of motivation and pride for the employee.

    1. Corporate Branding

    When you ask employees to wear uniforms in your distinctive colours this can have a real effect in cementing an impression in the mind of the customer. Uniforms act as a further distinguishing mark from competitors and therefore helping to reinforce your brand. Furthermore, consistency in your employees’ appearance with the overall branding effort will have a very positive impression on the customer and enhance the corporate image you portray.

     

    1. No need for a dress code!

    In today’s workplace trying to enforce a dress code is very problematic at best. Often boundaries are hazy and this can lead to resentful feelings from the employees who are told their attire is not appropriate for the workplace. Some employees often see receiving a uniform as a perk of the job. Often it can encourage people to apply for a job and represents considerable conservation of effort and time for the employee who doesn’t have to foot the bill for their work attire.

     

    1. Projecting Professionalism

    In customer-facing businesses its important to look professional, uniform and ready to serve. Uniforms make staff identifiable, letting customers seek out help in a store if they need it. Staff wearing uniforms inspire confidence by letting customers know that the person is professional and with product knowledge and also keen to help. With uniforms, employees take on the reputation of the company making them look trustworthy as the company you have built.

     

    For all your uniform requirements speak to the team at Logos 4 Clothes on 01400 230 180 or email info@logos4clothes.com.

  5. How promo clothing can win you more sales

    Promotional clothing can have a range of benefits for your business, from increasing team professionalism and uniformity, to attracting more leads and sales.

    To showcase the return on investment and the benefits to your business, we’ve highlighted two of the biggest and best uses of this clothing.

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  7. How branded clothing can help at exhibitions

    The average attendee spends 8.3 hours viewing trade show exhibits – that’s plenty of opportunity to connect with your audience and raise awareness of your brand.

    There’s a simple solution to make sure your people become an extension of your company; branded clothing.

    While a flashy stand or efficient product demo can do wonders, it’s your team that do the heavy lifting at these events. They make the connections and add personality to your business – but are you fully capitalising on their effort?

     

    Connect with customers

    When you’re discussing your product with a visitor to your stand, you’re not just rattling off a list of ‘features and benefits’. You’re making a connection.

    You will actively build a relationship with that person; listen out for genuine opportunities to click together and go on tangents about sports, holidays, and who had the most eventful commute.

    If nothing else, it makes these events more enjoyable when having real-life conversations, and not a barrage of sales pitches. So when you’re connecting with people, make sure you’re not only connecting as individuals, but also representing your brand.

    Stepping away from your stand and going to mingle? With branded clothing, you take your company with you. Make connections and show the exhibition that your team are friendly, personable and professional.

    Raise awareness

    How do you get your brand in the mind of your potential customers? By putting your name and image out there. With branded clothing, your team become an extension of your logo, your website, your adverts. The image of your company is consistently placed in the mind of those who see it.

    It’s important to put as much thought into getting high-quality, branded clothing as you would into designing your logo or putting together your stand. Your clothing will represent you professionally; so make sure it makes the right impression.

    If you position yourself as knowledgeable, friendly, helpful… you want these attributes to carry through. By making your team an extension of the brand, you raise awareness of what it means to be part of your company.

    Boost sales

    81% of trade show attendees have buying authority. Which means more than 4 out of 5 people walking the aisles are potential customers for exhibitors.

    While companies may be attending exhibitions and trade shows to raise awareness, gather leads and build relationships, fundamentally, we’re looking to boost sales.

    What happens if you didn’t get a chance to hand out a business card or take someone’s number? If you’ve had a valuable conversation with someone, and you’re stood in original, branded clothing, you’re much more likely to be remembered as a company.

    Most attendees will spend more time having conversations than staring at your stand – so make sure your logo is on you as a reminder for those decision-makers once they get back to the office. By imprinting your brand in the mind of a potential customer, you’ve made the first step towards that sale.

    Conclusion

    By wearing branded clothing at exhibitions and events, you take on additional responsibility – each team member becomes an extension of the brand.

    It means you’ll have to be on your best behaviour, but the result is creating long-lasting connections, raising awareness and improving your sales.

    If you’re an event exhibitor looking to boost your branding, give us a call today and we’ll see how we can help!

  8. Why Use Branded PPE?

    Why Use Branded PPE?

     Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is vital to the wellbeing of many businesses and their staff and customers. PPE is a huge category with a vast range of product encompassed; from items like helmets and hi-vis jackets to face masks, gloves and goggles. A ll of these items can be customised with your business name or logo. Some businesses already do this but a lot provide unbranded equipment as standard.

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