CIS Accountants for Construction Subcontractors and Contractors.
Claim your CIS tax refund, file monthly returns and stay compliant.
Working in construction under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) usually means tax is taken off your pay before you see it. The good news is that many subcontractors have paid too much and are owed a refund. At WPC Accountants, we claim your CIS tax back, file your returns and keep you on the right side of HMRC, whether you are a subcontractor or a contractor running your own team.
For everyone in construction
We look after subcontractors and contractors right across the trade, including:
Subcontractors and workers
- Bricklayers, groundworkers and labourers
- Carpenters, joiners and roofers
- Plasterers, painters and decorators
- Electricians and plumbers
- Scaffolders and plant operators
Contractors and firms
- Building and civil engineering firms
- Main contractors and developers
- Sole traders taking on subcontractors
- Construction limited companies
- Deemed contractors (heavy construction spend)
How the Construction Industry Scheme works
Under CIS, a contractor takes money off a subcontractor's pay and sends it to HMRC as an advance payment towards the subcontractor's tax and National Insurance. How much is deducted depends on your CIS status:
| Status | Deduction | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Registered subcontractor | 20% | Most subcontractors who are registered for CIS |
| Not registered | 30% | Subcontractors who have not registered or been verified |
| Gross payment status | 0% | Subcontractors who pass HMRC's turnover and compliance tests |
What subcontractors must do under CIS on GOV.UK
Registering for CIS is worth doing: it drops your deduction from 30% to 20%. We can register you as part of setting you up.
Claim your CIS tax refund
Here is why so many subcontractors are owed money. Your CIS deduction is taken from your full pay, before your expenses and your tax-free Personal Allowance are taken into account. Once we prepare your Self Assessment and set your real tax against the CIS already deducted, there is often a refund to come back. We claim your tools, travel, protective clothing and other costs to make the refund as large as it should be. We do not quote a fixed refund amount, because every case is different. What we can promise is that we will claim everything you are entitled to. Refunds usually follow within a few weeks of HMRC processing the return.
- 1
Gather your statements
We collect your CIS deduction statements and income records for the tax year.
- 2
Work out your real tax
We calculate your actual tax bill after allowable expenses and your Personal Allowance.
- 3
Set off the CIS deducted
We offset the CIS already deducted against your real tax figure.
- 4
File and claim
We file your Self Assessment and claim the refund directly from HMRC.
CIS support for contractors
If you pay subcontractors, you have CIS duties of your own. Get them wrong and the penalties add up quickly. What contractors must do under CIS on GOV.UK. We take the whole job off your hands:
- Registering you as a contractor with HMRC
- Verifying each subcontractor so you deduct at the right rate
- Working out deductions and giving subcontractors their statements
- Filing your monthly CIS return (CIS300) on time
- Paying the deductions over to HMRC and keeping the records
Gross payment status
If you qualify for gross payment status, contractors pay you in full with no CIS deducted, and you settle your tax at the year-end instead. It helps your cash flow, but you have to pass HMRC's turnover and compliance tests and stay on top of your filings. We check whether it suits you, help you apply and keep you compliant so you do not lose it.
If you qualify for gross payment status, contractors pay you in full with no CIS deducted, and you settle your tax at the year-end instead. It helps your cash flow, but you have to pass HMRC's turnover and compliance tests and stay on top of your filings. We check whether it suits you, help you apply and keep you compliant so you do not lose it.
- Zero deductions on your pay. Better cash flow throughout the year.
VAT reverse charge for construction
If you are VAT-registered: most construction services now fall under the VAT domestic reverse charge. In simple terms, the customer accounts for the VAT rather than you charging it, which changes how you invoice and how your VAT returns work. It catches a lot of builders out. We set your invoicing up correctly. See the VAT reverse charge rules on GOV.UK
Our CIS services
CIS registration
We register you for CIS and Self Assessment, so you are deducted at 20%, not 30%.
CIS tax refunds and returns
We prepare your Self Assessment, set off your CIS and claim your refund.
Contractor monthly returns
We verify subcontractors, work out deductions and file your CIS300 each month.
Accounts for construction firms
Year-end accounts for construction sole traders, partnerships and companies.
Corporation tax (companies)
For construction limited companies, we handle your CT600 and offset CIS suffered.
CIS deadlines to remember
| Duty | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Contractor monthly CIS return (CIS300) | By the 19th of each month |
| Give subcontractors their deduction statements | Within 14 days of the end of each tax month |
| Pay CIS deductions to HMRC | By the 22nd (electronic) after each tax month |
| Subcontractor Self Assessment and refund claim | Online return by 31 January after the tax year |
Why construction workers choose WPC Accountants
- We know CIS inside out and claim every refund you are due
- We handle both sides, subcontractor refunds and contractor returns
- Plain English, no jargon, and quick to reply
- Fixed fees agreed upfront, often covered by your refund
- A real person to call all year round
Simple, fixed pricing
We charge a clear, fixed fee for your CIS return and refund claim, and a simple monthly fee for contractor returns. Book a free consultation and we will confirm the cost upfront.
Claim my CIS refundNo obligation · Fixed fees · Often covered by your refund
Frequently asked questions
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Get in touch
Ready to claim your CIS refund or sort your contractor returns? Contact our team and we will get back to you quickly.
Contact Details
Address
3rd Floor, 112-116 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1JE
Phone
+44 7380 992174Office hours
Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 6:30 pm