CIS | Colindale
The Firm Provides the Gear, So I Have No Expenses: the Costliest Myth on Colindale Sites
Colindale is one giant site these days, with thousands of homes delivered around Colindale Gardens and Brent Cross Town a few minutes away. Talk to the scaffolders and trades on long engagements there and one belief comes up constantly: the firm provides the gear, so there is nothing to claim. It feels logical. It is also the most expensive assumption in CIS.
What you still pay for, even when the firm provides the kit
- Getting yourself to work: van or car miles between home, the yard and changing sites. Long engagements still count while the site remains genuinely temporary.
- Your personal kit: harness, boots, gloves, wet gear, hand tools that are yours rather than the firm's.
- Cards and tickets: CISRS or CSCS renewals, plant tickets, first-aid and refresher courses you pay for yourself.
- Phone, insurance, storage: the business share of your mobile, personal liability cover, and the lock-up some trades rent.
- Accountancy fees themselves.
We have rebuilt years for clients who swore they had no expenses and never found a genuine zero. A typical Colindale scaffolder claiming the list above adds £2,000 to £4,000 of deductions, worth £400 to £800 of refund at the basic rate, every year.
The bigger unlock: gross payment status
For established trades, the smarter question is whether to stop having tax deducted at all. Gross payment status means contractors pay you in full and you settle tax through your return. The cash-flow difference on a long Colindale engagement is substantial. The tests: turnover above £30,000 (per partner or director for firms), a clean compliance record over the previous 12 months, and a genuine business with a bank account. Many trades qualify without realising. We prepare the application and handle HMRC's questions.
On gross status, discipline matters: nothing is deducted at source, so a share of every invoice should move to a tax-savings pot. We set the percentage with you so the January bill is already sitting there.
Estimate your refund first with the 60-second calculator, or see the local service at CIS accountant in Colindale.
FREE TOOL · 2026/27 TAX YEAR
Are you owed a CIS tax refund?
Most subcontractors are. See what HMRC owes you in 60 seconds.
Get your full breakdown and a free 15-minute review with a real accountant.
Got it, thank you.
We’ll review your details and come back within one working day.
Or book a free call now →Free consultation calls: weekdays 1pm to 3pm and 7pm to 8pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
The firm deducts for transport to site in my pay. Can I still claim travel?
If genuine costs are charged to you (shown on your statements), those deductions are part of your expense picture. We read the statements line by line; many include charges people never claim back.
I bought my own harness years ago. Too late to claim?
Equipment bought in earlier years can often still feature via amendment of recent returns or capital allowances in the right year. Bring the history and we will see what is recoverable.
Does gross status mean more HMRC attention?
It means HMRC expects on-time returns and payments, and reviews status annually. For organised trades that is no burden; we keep clients compliant so status is never lost.
What happens if I lose gross status?
Contractors revert to deducting 20 per cent after HMRC notifies them. You can reapply after a year of clean compliance. Prevention is easier: file and pay on time, every time.
Is the £30,000 turnover test gross or net?
It is your labour turnover excluding VAT and materials, measured over the 12 months before application. Borderline cases are worth a proper review before applying.
Can a two-man partnership get gross status?
Yes, partnerships qualify with a £30,000-per-partner test (or a £100,000 whole-firm alternative). Companies have their own version. We match the application route to your structure.
Do day rates on price work change what I can claim?
No. Whether you are paid day rate or price, the same expense principles apply. What changes is evidencing the income, which your statements and bank records cover.
I share a lock-up with another trade. How is that claimed?
Claim your share of the rent, evidenced by what you actually pay. A simple note of the split between you is enough.
On a long Colindale engagement and claiming nothing?
Fifteen minutes tells you what your real expenses are worth, and whether gross payment status would transform your cash flow.
Or email info@yourtaxhelp.co.uk | CIS accountant in Colindale
General guidance only. Not personal tax advice. Contact us for advice specific to your situation. Figures relate to the 2025/26 tax year unless otherwise stated.