How do I claim a tax refund?

What a tax refund is

A tax refund (sometimes called a tax rebate) is money HMRC pays back when you have paid too much Income Tax. It is your own money being returned, not a benefit.

Common reasons you might be owed tax

• you had the wrong tax code
• you started or left a job part way through the tax year
• you stopped working and have not started a new job
• you paid for work costs yourself, such as uniforms or tools (working from home costs can only be claimed for tax years before 6 April 2026)
• you had tax taken from a redundancy payment
• you paid tax on savings interest or PPI interest
• you overpaid through Self Assessment
• you were taxed on UK income after moving abroad

If you are employed or get a pension: the P800

HMRC checks your tax after the tax year ends. If you paid too much, it sends you a P800 tax calculation letter. These letters are sent between June and March after the tax year ends.

If you are in Self Assessment, you will not get a P800. Your bill is adjusted instead.

How to get your money from a P800

To claim online you need the reference number on your P800 and your National Insurance number. You can also claim through your personal tax account or the HMRC app.

If you stopped work part way through the year

You may be able to use form P50 if you have been out of work for 4 weeks or more and you are not getting taxable benefits. You need parts 2 and 3 of your P45 and your National Insurance number. Claim online, or print, sign and post the form. HMRC usually replies within about 14 days.

You cannot use a P50 if you expect to work again within 4 weeks, are still with an employment agency, or have a work pension.

Job expenses

You can claim tax relief on some work costs you pay yourself. You get back the tax you paid on that amount, not the whole cost.

Example: you claim £60 of work costs and pay tax at 20%. Your refund is £60 x 20% = £12.

You must have paid tax in that year, and you cannot get back more tax than you paid.

You cannot claim tax relief for working from home for the 2026/27 tax year (from 6 April 2026) onwards. You can still claim it for the 4 tax years before that, if you were eligible.

Watch out for scams

HMRC will never tell you about a tax refund by text message. It only emails about refunds from an address ending in hmrc.gov.uk.

• Forward suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.
• Forward suspicious texts to 60599.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

HMRC handles Income Tax refunds across the whole UK, and the same steps apply.

Related guides

• What does my tax code mean?
• What are the Income Tax rates?
• Can I claim a uniform tax rebate?
• Can I claim tax relief on professional subscriptions?
• Can I claim tax relief for working from home?

Where this comes from

• Check how to claim a tax refund (GOV.UK)
• Tax overpayments and underpayments (GOV.UK)
• If you're due a refund (GOV.UK)
• Claim back Income Tax when you've stopped working, P50 (HMRC)
• Tax relief for employees (GOV.UK)
• Tax relief for working at home (GOV.UK)
• Report suspicious HMRC emails and texts (HMRC)