You may be due a PAYE (Pay As You Earn) tax refund if you have paid too much Income Tax in the UK. This commonly happens if you started or stopped a job part-way through the tax year, were put on an emergency tax code, had multiple jobs at once, or had work expenses you can claim tax relief for. To check if you are owed money, you should review your annual P800 tax calculation from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which is usually sent between June and November after the tax year ends. You can also check your tax status and claim any refund directly through your online Personal Tax Account on the GOV.UK website. It is important to act quickly, as you generally have only four years from the end of the relevant tax year to claim a refund. For most straightforward cases, if your P800 shows you are due a repayment, you can claim it online using the service linked in your letter. If you have not received a P800 but believe you have overpaid, you should contact HMRC directly. Be wary of companies that charge high fees to process refunds you can easily claim for free yourself. Once claimed, refunds are typically paid directly into your UK bank account within five working days.

You can find out if you`re owed a tax refund by checking for specific signs and reviewing official HMRC documents. Here’s a quick guide to help you identify if you`ve overpaid.

Key Signs You Might Be Owed a Refund

You are most likely to have overpaid tax if:

• You started or stopped a job part-way through the tax year (6 April to 5 April).
• You were put on an emergency tax code (usually code 1257W1, M1, or X). This often happens when starting a new job.
• You had more than one job or pension at the same time.
• Your work circumstances changed, such as switching from full-time to part-time, having irregular hours, or retiring.
• You had work-related expenses that are eligible for tax relief, like uniforms, professional fees, or tools you had to buy yourself.

How to Check Officially

• Look for Your P800 Tax Calculation: After each tax year ends, HMRC automatically reviews the records of most PAYE taxpayers. If they find you`ve overpaid, they will send you a P800 letter (typically between June and October). Important: Since May 2024, you often need to actively claim the refund shown on this letter; it may not be sent automatically.
• Check Your Personal Tax Account: This is the most direct method. Log in to your Personal Tax Account on GOV.UK using your Government Gateway ID. Here you can view your up-to-date tax calculation, income history, and see at a glance if a repayment is due.
• Review Your P60: Check the "Total tax paid" figure on your P60 form from your employer at the end of the tax year. If the amount seems disproportionately high compared to your income, it could indicate an overpayment.

What to Do Next

If any of the signs apply to you or your P800 shows a refund, you can usually claim it online directly through HMRC using the service linked in your P800 letter or via your Personal Tax Account.

The amount of a PAYE tax refund varies widely, but typical refunds range from £150 to £3,000, depending on your personal circumstances.

Your refund is calculated as Tax You Paid – Tax You Actually Owed. It`s a return of your own overpaid money, not a bonus. HMRC determines this using your tax code and total annual income.

Common Scenario	Typical Refund Range	Key Determining Factor
Emergency Tax Code (for a few months)	£200 - £800	How long you were on the wrong code and your salary level.
Starting or Stopping Work Mid-Year	£500 - £2,500+	The portion of your £12,570 annual tax-free allowance you didn`t use.
Claiming Work Expense Relief (e.g., uniforms, tools)	£60 - £300 per year	The actual cost; you get tax relief at your income tax rate (e.g., 20%).
Simple Tax Code Error (for a full tax year)	£250 - £1,200+	The size of the error in your tax code (e.g., incorrect benefits listed).

Important Note: For a precise figure, you must check your official P800 Tax Calculation from HMRC or your Personal Tax Account. The amounts above are estimates based on common real-life cases.