Tax refunds: are you owed money by HMRC?

Common reasons people are owed a tax refund

• Wrong tax code or emergency tax after starting a new job, having two jobs or leaving work part-way through the year.
• Taking money from a pension, where the first payment is often taxed on an emergency code.
• Work expenses you pay yourself, such as washing a uniform, professional fees and subscriptions, tools, or travel to temporary workplaces.
• Higher-rate pension relief on personal pension contributions, which you have to claim yourself.
• Marriage Allowance: if one partner earns less than the personal allowance, they can transfer £1,260 of it to their spouse or civil partner.
• CIS deductions for construction subcontractors, who often pay too much tax during the year. See our CIS tax rebate calculator.

How far back can you claim?

You can usually claim for the current tax year and the previous four tax years. Older years are lost, so it is worth checking now.

Watch out for refund scams and high fees

HMRC never tells you about a refund by text or email with a link. Some refund companies take a large percentage of your refund. We charge a fixed fee agreed upfront, so you know what you keep.

Already file a tax return?

If you are self-employed or a landlord, refunds come through your Self Assessment return, for example when payments on account were too high. See Self Assessment tax returns and check your code with our tax code checker.