Intimate waxing and Mars bars: Five worst tax expense claims revealed

The expenses range from the cost of storing Mars bars overnight in a fridge, to flip flops.

Here is a list of some of bizarre expenses that some taxpayers have tried, and failed, to claim for:

• The cost of a pair of flip flops so I don't have to walk barefoot between my work's changing and shower rooms.

• The costs for my intimate waxing.

• The costs for storing Mars bars overnight in a fridge.

• I bought a second hand car to get me from home to work so I didn't have to walk.

• I purchased my own flat, so I need to claim back the money I spent on the furniture.

It comes as there is only six days left to submit your 2014-15 online tax return to HMRC to avoid a £100 late return penalty.

Ruth Owen, HMRC Director General of Personal Tax, has this advice for what people can claim against.

'There are a number of items and expenses that people can claim against, such as genuine business costs and items needed to do a job. But a painful beauty regime or the furniture for your own home are not items that every taxpayer in the country should be contributing towards.

She said: 'It's wrong that a small minority of people expect the honest majority to subsidise their lifestyle and HMRC will never allow for these to be processed as genuine claims.'

The deadline for tax returns is January 31 and forms can be filled in via HMRC's online service.

•Help is available from the GOV.UK website at www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns or from the Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310.