How to Check If HMRC Owes You a Tax Refund (And How to Claim It)

Millions of UK taxpayers are owed money by HMRC — but many never claim it. Overpayments happen for a range of reasons: switching jobs, working only part of the year, changes in tax code, pension contributions, or simply HMRC miscalculating how much you owe. The good news is that claiming what you're owed is straightforward if you know where to look.

Who Might Be Owed a Refund?

You may have overpaid tax if any of the following apply:

• You changed jobs mid-year and were put on an emergency tax code by your new employer
• You were made redundant or took time out of work
• You retired or reduced your hours partway through a tax year
• Your employer used the wrong tax code (check your payslip — your code should match what's on your Personal Tax Account)
• You made pension contributions that reduced your taxable income but weren't reflected in your code
• You stopped working during the tax year (for example, to study or travel)

Step-by-Step: How to Check and Claim

Step 1 — Check Your Personal Tax Account

Go to gov.uk/personal-tax-account and sign in with your Government Gateway credentials (or create an account if you don't have one). Here you can see your current tax code, how much tax you've paid this year, and any outstanding refunds HMRC has already identified.

Step 2 — Check Your Tax Code

Your tax code appears on your payslip, P60, and in your Personal Tax Account. The most common code for 2026/27 is 1257L, which gives you a personal allowance of £12,570. If your code starts with BR, D0, or has "W1" or "M1" added to it, you may be on an emergency rate and could be paying too much tax.

Step 3 — Gather Your P60 and Payslips

Your P60 is issued by your employer after each tax year ends on 5 April. It shows your total pay and tax deducted. If you've had more than one employer during the year, collect P45s from any previous employers too.

Step 4 — Submit a Claim

If HMRC owes you money and it's not automatically refunded, you can claim a refund by:

• Online: Using your Personal Tax Account — fastest method, refunds typically within 5 working days
• By phone: Call the HMRC Income Tax helpline on 0300 200 3300 (have your National Insurance number and P60 ready)
• By post: Completing form R40 if the refund relates to savings interest
• Via Self Assessment: If you complete a Self Assessment return, any refund due will be shown when you submit

Step 5 — Beware of Refund Scams

HMRC will never contact you by email or text message asking for bank details. If you receive an unsolicited message saying you're owed a refund and asking you to click a link, it is almost certainly a phishing scam. Always go directly to gov.uk rather than clicking links in messages.

How Far Back Can You Claim?

You can reclaim overpaid tax going back four tax years. For 2026, that means you can still claim for tax years 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26.

International Comparison

In the United States, tax refunds are common because withholding is often approximate — the IRS processed over 130 million refunds in 2024. In Australia, the tax return process is largely automated via MyTax, with most refunds issued within 2 weeks. The UK's Personal Tax Account is moving in a similar direction under Making Tax Digital, which will require digital record-keeping for self-employed people from April 2026.

Checklist: Don't Leave Money on the Table

• Log in to your Personal Tax Account at gov.uk
• Check your current and previous tax codes
• Locate your P60 (and any P45s from previous employers)
• Review whether you changed jobs, had any gaps in employment, or made pension contributions
• Submit a claim online, by phone, or via Self Assessment
• Check you haven't had any unclaimed employment expenses (uniforms, tools, professional subscriptions)
• Never click links in emails or texts claiming to be from HMRC

Key Numbers

• £12,570 — personal allowance for 2026/27 tax year
• 4 years — how far back you can claim overpaid income tax
• 0300 200 3300 — HMRC Income Tax helpline
• 5 working days — typical wait time for an online refund

Sources

• Gov.uk — Check Your Income Tax for the Current Year
• Gov.uk — Personal Tax Account
• Gov.uk — Claim a Tax Refund
• FCA — Protect Yourself from Scams

Educational content only — not financial advice.