I am just doing my tax return and trying to find out if I can claim tax deductions for travel to interviews?

I left my job in January and since then been paying to travel from up north to London for interviews which as I didn’t have a job I have been paying myself. The jobs have been for roles which would have bases up north, but I have had to travel to the London offices for these firms.

I have tried to find advice on this but cannot find any clear definitions for this in the UK. In the US, you can claim this on your tax return – so I expect you can do it in the UK

Hum, don’t think so on a personal tax return but there are others more knowledgable than I here on that

If you where self employed/sole trader then yes I think so

No. It’s not related to your employment you had paid taxes on and now trying to reduce.

It is for personal tax return. I was exploring contracting options – though they didn’t happen

If you are self-employed then you can argue that the expenses are incurred in the furtherance of trade and should therefore be deductible.
However if you are looking for a job (i.e. where you will be on the payroll) then HMRC would argue that expenses are only allowable where they are incurred wholly, exclusively & necessarily in the performance of your duties of employment. And as you aren’t actually employed then the expenses are not tax deductible. So unfortunately the answer is very probably not.

Have you registered as self employed or set up a limited company when going to these interviews? If no, then I would assume the interviews were for employment not contracting and therefore the answer would be no again

Ok. Looks like it’s a no then….. 🙁