Freedom Isn’t Free UK Personal Finance
Tax
How to Claim a UK Tax Refund 2026/27: The HMRC Process
You can reclaim overpaid UK Income Tax for the current and previous 4 tax years. The route depends on why you overpaid: an automatic P800 calculation, an online claim through your Personal Tax Account, Self Assessment, a P87 for job expenses, Marriage Allowance, or a pension lump sum form.
How to claim a UK tax refund, by route
| How you claim | When this route applies |
|---|---|
| P800 tax calculation | HMRC works out at the end of the year that PAYE took too much. If the P800 says you are owed a refund, you claim it online and the money arrives within 5 working days, or you can request a cheque within 6 weeks |
| Personal Tax Account (online) | The general route for claiming back overpaid tax from a job, including where HMRC has not sent a P800. Sign in at gov.uk and claim through your account or the HMRC app |
| Self Assessment | You are registered for Self Assessment. Any over or underpayment is reconciled on your return automatically, so you do not get a separate P800 |
| P87 (employment expenses) | You paid for things you need for your job, such as working from home, fuel, tools or work clothing, and were not reimbursed. Claim the tax relief online or on a postal P87 form |
| Marriage Allowance | You or your partner transferred part of a Personal Allowance. You can backdate a claim to the 2022 to 2023 tax year (6 April 2022) for any year you were eligible |
| P55 (pension lump sum) | You flexibly accessed your pension pot but did not empty it, and will take no further payments this tax year |
| P53Z (pension lump sum) | You flexibly accessed all of your pension pot and are still working or receiving other taxable income |
| P50Z (pension lump sum) | You flexibly accessed all of your pension pot and have stopped working |