Paint, scaffolding, van — tracked in one app
Pick up paint and consumables daily. Hire scaffolding for big jobs. Run the van between sites. All in one place.
Daily merchant runs, big paint bills, scaffolding hire — easy to lose
A typical UK painter and decorator visits Brewers, Dulux, Crown or Screwfix daily for paint and consumables, hires scaffolding or platforms for upper-floor work, runs the van between jobs, and pays for trade-body subs and insurance. Receipts collect in the van and pockets — and many disappear before tax time.
What PocketReceipt tracks for decorators
Paint & consumables
Brewers, Dulux, Crown, Johnstone's, Screwfix. Vendor recognised, tagged as materials.
Scaffolding & access
Tower hire, scaffolding licence, ladders. Tagged as plant hire, fully allowable.
Brushes, dust sheets, sundries
Brushes, rollers, masking tape, dust sheets, sandpaper. Small but adds up — captured automatically.
Van expenses
Diesel, insurance, MOT, servicing. Choose simplified mileage or actual costs.
Mileage to jobs
GPS or manual trip log between sites. HMRC 45p/25p auto-applied.
Insurance & trade subs
Public liability, employer's liability if you have a labourer, PDA / Painting and Decorating Association membership. Tagged correctly.
A typical decorator's day, tracked
- 7:30am — fill the van at the petrol station, scan receipt
- 8:30am — pick up 5L of trade emulsion at Brewers, scan invoice
- 11:00am — drive to second job across town, mileage auto-logged
- 1:00pm — quick run to Screwfix for masking tape and brushes, scan receipt
- 4:00pm — collect scaffolding tower from hire firm, receipt scanned
- Sunday — export weekly summary to your accountant
FAQ for decorators
Can I claim scaffolding and tower hire?
Yes — plant hire is 100% allowable. Keep the hire invoice. If you buy your own tower, items over £1,000 are usually capital allowances — PocketReceipt flags those.
Are paint and materials deductible?
Yes — fully allowable as direct cost of the job. Tag receipts to the customer or job for accurate billing if you do fixed quotes.
Should I be VAT-registered?
Only if turnover exceeds £90,000. Many decorators register voluntarily for the input VAT recovery on big paint orders. Check our VAT calculator first — Limited Cost Trader rules can wipe out FRS benefit.
Can I claim my workwear?
Branded overalls and hi-vis: yes. Plain trousers and t-shirts: no. PPE (masks, gloves, knee pads, work boots): yes.