Construction & CIS

CIS Refund Claims

We help Cardiff subcontractors and construction businesses reclaim overpaid CIS tax deductions quickly and accurately. With nearly ten years of experience handling claims across South Wales, we take care of the paperwork so you can focus on the job at hand.

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10
Years serving South Wales
4
Tax years claimable
2-6
Weeks typical refund time
A construction worker hands financial documents to a professional advisor across a desk while the advisor reviews papers and uses a calculator; a blank-screen laptop and organized paperwork sit on the desk, with a construction site visible through a window in the softly blurred background.

CIS support we provide

Whether you're a sole trader, partnership or limited company, we handle every aspect of your CIS refund claim and ongoing compliance.

CIS Refund Claims

Full claim preparation and submission to HMRC, covering current and backdated tax years.

CIS Registration & Verification

Getting you set up on the Construction Industry Scheme and verified with contractors.

CIS Monthly Returns

Monthly CIS300 return preparation and filing to keep you compliant with HMRC.

How CIS refund claims work

If you're working as a subcontractor in construction, your contractor deducts either 20% or 30% from every payment before you receive it. That money goes straight to HMRC as tax on account. But if your actual tax bill, after expenses and allowances, is lower than what's been deducted, you're entitled to claim the difference back.

We see this all the time with Cardiff builders, plasterers, electricians and decorators who've been working hard all year, running a van, buying materials, and claiming legitimate business expenses. The standard CIS deduction rate doesn't account for any of that, so refunds are common and completely above board.

Most subcontractors we work with are owed money and don't realise it.

More information

What we do for you

We gather all your CIS payment and deduction statements, match them against your records, work through your allowable expenses, and submit the claim to HMRC on your behalf. For sole traders, that means filing your Self Assessment return with the refund built in. For limited companies, we handle it through your PAYE system or submit a direct repayment claim, whichever route gets your money back faster.

We also check whether you're eligible to backdate claims. HMRC allows you to go back up to four tax years from the end of the relevant year, so if you've never claimed before, there may be multiple years of refunds waiting. The deadline for 2021/22, for example, is 5 April 2026. After that, any entitlement for that year is lost.

Avoiding delays and queries

The most common reason HMRC holds up a refund is a mismatch between what contractors reported and what you've claimed, or expense figures that look out of line. We cross-check everything before submission to make sure your claim is clean. We also time submissions carefully: HMRC processing slows right down in January and February, so if you need the money quickly, we'll plan around that.

If HMRC does come back with questions, we deal with them directly. You won't be left trying to interpret letters or navigate phone menus.

CIS claims across Cardiff and South Wales

We work with subcontractors all over Cardiff, the Valleys, Newport, Bridgend and beyond. Whether you're site-based in the city centre, working on housing developments in Penarth, or travelling between jobs across South Wales, the process is the same. What changes is how well your accountant understands the realities of running a small construction business around here: fuel costs, travel time, the seasonality of work, and the importance of getting your refund when you need it.

Most refunds land in your account within two to six weeks of submission, though it can take a bit longer during busy periods. We track every claim through to completion and let you know as soon as HMRC processes it.

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Construction & CIS

CIS Returns for Contractors

Monthly CIS returns prepared and filed on time, subcontractors verified, and deduction statements produced so you stay compliant and avoid HMRC penalties.

CIS Returns for Contractors→

Before you claim

These are the questions we hear most from subcontractors looking to claim back CIS deductions.

How do I know if I'm owed a CIS refund?
If the total CIS deducted from your payments during the tax year is more than your actual tax bill after expenses and allowances, you're due a refund. We can review your situation in a free consultation and tell you what to expect.
How far back can I claim?
You can backdate claims up to four tax years from the end of the relevant tax year. For example, claims for 2021/22 must be submitted by 5 April 2026. After that deadline, any entitlement is lost.
What documents do I need to provide?
We'll need your CIS payment and deduction statements from contractors, records of business expenses, your UTR, Government Gateway login details, and bank account details. We'll walk you through exactly what's required when we start.
How long does it take to get my refund?
HMRC typically processes refunds within two to six weeks after submission, though this can stretch to ten weeks or more between January and February. Once processed, the money usually reaches your account within three to five days.
Do sole traders and limited companies claim the same way?
No. Sole traders claim through their Self Assessment tax return, while limited companies claim via their PAYE system or a direct HMRC repayment. We handle both routes and will use whichever applies to your business structure.
What happens if HMRC queries my claim?
We deal with any queries on your behalf. Most issues arise from mismatches between contractor records and your claim, or unusually high expenses. We check everything before submission to minimise the risk of delays.
How much do you charge for a CIS refund claim?
Our fees depend on the complexity of your claim and how many tax years are involved. We'll give you a clear fixed price after reviewing your situation in the free consultation, with no surprises later.
Can I still claim if I've moved away from construction work?
Yes, as long as you're within the four-year deadline for the tax year in question. Even if you've changed industry or stopped trading, you can still recover overpaid CIS deductions from when you were working as a subcontractor.

Let's talk about your CIS refund

Book a free consultation and we'll review what you're owed, explain the process, and give you a clear fixed price with no obligation to proceed.

Book a free consultation