If you believe that you have overpaid tax to HMRC, you may be entitled to claim a tax refund. Overpayments can occur for a variety of reasons, including changes to employment, incorrect tax codes or unclaimed allowances. The process for making a claim will depend on whether you submit a self-assessment tax return and how long ago the tax was overpaid.
According to HMRC, you may be able to claim a refund if you have paid too much tax on:
- pay from a job
- job expenses such as working from home, fuel, work clothing or tools
- a pension
- a self-assessment tax return
- a redundancy payment
- UK income if you live abroad
- interest from savings or payment protection insurance (PPI)
- income from a life or pension annuity
- foreign income
- UK income earned before leaving the UK
HMRC provides an online tool to help individuals check their eligibility and make a claim for a tax refund. This can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/claim-tax-refund/y.
Claims can usually be backdated for up to four years after the end of the tax year. This means that claims still be made for tax refunds dating back as far as the 2021-22 tax year which ended on 5 April 2022. The deadline for making claims for the 2021-22 tax year is 5 April 2026. It is important to ensure that all information provided is accurate and that claims are made within the required time limits.