How to Check If You Are Owed a UK Tax Refund
Quick answer
You can check if HMRC owes you a tax refund online through your Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app. Both show your tax code, an Income Tax estimate, and let you claim a refund. HMRC also sends a P800 tax calculation letter between June and March if you have overpaid.
Where to check if you are owed a UK tax refund
| Where to check | What it shows you |
|---|---|
| Personal Tax Account (gov.uk) | Your Income Tax estimate and tax code, plus the option to claim a tax refund online if one is due |
| The HMRC app | Your tax code, an estimate of the tax you need to pay, and the option to claim a refund if you have paid too much tax |
| P800 tax calculation letter | Sent between June and March if you are employed or get a pension; tells you whether you have paid too much or too little tax and how to get a refund |
| Your tax code and payslip | Whether your tax-free Personal Allowance is being applied correctly; a wrong code is a common reason for overpaying |
| Your Self Assessment account | For people who file a return, your bill is adjusted automatically; you can submit, view or manage your return through your Personal Tax Account |
Step by step
- 1
Sign in to your Personal Tax Account
Go to gov.uk and sign in to your Personal Tax Account, or open the HMRC app, using your sign in details. You may need to prove your identity with photo ID such as a passport or driving licence.
- 2
Check your Income Tax estimate and tax code
Open the Check your Income Tax section to see your tax code, Personal Allowance, and the estimated tax you can expect to pay for the current tax year. Confirm your tax code matches your payslip.
- 3
See whether a refund is due
If you have overpaid, HMRC shows this in your account and sends a P800 tax calculation letter between June and March if you are employed or get a pension.
- 4
Claim the refund
If a refund is shown, claim it online through your Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app if you have a UK bank account. An online bank transfer arrives within 5 working days; a cheque takes around 6 weeks.
Checking whether HMRC owes you a tax refund is something you can do yourself online in a few minutes, without phoning anyone or paying a claims firm. The table above maps each official channel to what it actually shows you, so you can pick the quickest route for your situation.
The two online hubs are your Personal Tax Account on gov.uk and the HMRC app: both display your Income Tax estimate and tax code and let you claim a refund if one is due. If you are employed or receive a pension, HMRC also issues a P800 tax calculation letter between June and March when its records show you have paid too much. A wrong tax code is one of the most common reasons people overpay, so it is worth checking your code against your payslip first.
For the full process, see our guide to claiming a UK tax refund. It sits in our tax cluster alongside the new tax year investor checklist, which flags the deadlines and allowances worth reviewing each April, and our UK tax rebate guide, which walks through the HMRC refund process step by step.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if HMRC owes me money?
Sign in to your Personal Tax Account on gov.uk or open the HMRC app. Both show your Income Tax estimate and tax code and let you claim a refund if one is due. If you are employed or get a pension, HMRC also sends a P800 tax calculation letter between June and March when you have overpaid.
How do I access my Personal Tax Account?
Go to gov.uk and sign in to your Personal Tax Account using your sign in details. You may need to prove your identity with photo ID such as a passport or driving licence. Once in, you can check your Income Tax estimate, your tax code, and claim a tax refund.
Why have I not received a P800?
HMRC only sends a P800 if you are employed or get a pension and its records show you have paid too much or too little tax. They are sent between June and March of the following tax year, so it may not have been issued yet. People in Self Assessment do not get a P800 because their bill is adjusted automatically.
How do I claim a refund once HMRC says I am owed one?
If your P800 says you are due a refund, you can claim online through your Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app if you have a UK bank account. An online bank transfer claim arrives within 5 working days. If you ask for a cheque it takes around 6 weeks, and in some cases HMRC posts a cheque automatically within 14 days of the date on your letter.
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General information, not financial advice. Tax rules and figures can change; check the current position on gov.uk before acting.