Do You Automatically Get a Tax Rebate? The Honest Answer

A lot of people assume that if they have overpaid tax, HMRC will simply notice and send the money back. Sometimes that is true. Often it is not. This guide explains when you get a tax rebate automatically, when you have to claim it yourself, and how to make sure you do not miss out.

The short answer

Sometimes HMRC refunds overpaid tax automatically, and sometimes you have to claim it. It depends entirely on why you overpaid. The important thing to understand is that for the most common reasons people overpay, no automatic refund is sent.

When you might get a refund automatically

HMRC can issue a refund without you doing anything when its own systems spot that your tax did not balance over the year. This usually happens through a P800 tax calculation after the end of the tax year. Typical triggers include:

• You changed jobs and your tax was not fully reconciled.
• You were on an emergency tax code for a while.
• You had more than one job or pension and the figures did not add up.

In these cases HMRC may send a P800 telling you a refund is due, although you often still have to take a step, such as confirming your bank details, to actually receive it.

When you do not get a refund automatically

Here is the part most people miss. If you overpaid because of work expenses you never claimed, such as uniform, mileage, tools or professional fees, HMRC has no way of knowing. It does not hold that information, so no P800 is issued and no refund appears. The money simply sits unclaimed.

In other words, the most common reason people are owed money, unclaimed work expenses, is exactly the situation where nothing happens automatically. You have to claim.

How to claim what you are owed

If you believe you have overpaid, you can claim directly from HMRC using your Personal Tax Account or form P87 for expenses, with evidence to support it. Or you can have a specialist do it. TaxPro reviews your recent tax years, identifies overpayments whether or not HMRC has issued a P800, and claims back everything you are owed, including the expenses HMRC would never refund on its own. We work on a no win, no fee basis, so a percentage fee only applies if a refund is secured.

Frequently asked questions

If I am owed money, will HMRC just send it?

Only in some cases, mainly where its systems spot a mismatch and issue a P800. For unclaimed expenses, you have to claim.

I never got a P800. Does that mean I am not owed anything?

No. No P800 often just means the trigger that would create one has not happened, because HMRC does not know about your expenses.

How far back can I claim?

Generally the current tax year plus the previous four.

How long does a refund take?

Once submitted, refunds usually come through in around 10 days, with the whole process often taking 8 to 10 weeks.

Do not wait for a refund that may never come

If your overpayment is down to unclaimed work expenses, nothing happens until you claim.

Start your claim with TaxPro and we will find what you are owed and reclaim it for you, on a no win, no fee basis.