If you have paid too much income tax HMRC will send you a P800 tax calculation letter which tells you why you have overpaid and how much tax you are owed back.
You may receive a P800 calculation for more than one tax year if you have paid too much in multiple years.
Every tax year employed UK taxpayers overpay millions of pounds worth of income tax and there are several reasons why you might be entitled to a tax rebate including changing jobs and claiming back work related expenses.
What is a P800?
A ‘P800 Tax Calculation’ is the official name of the letter HMRC sends taxpayers if they work out that you have not paid the correct amount of tax.
The tax office can send out a P800 at any time of the year. Sometimes a tax rebate can be issued automatically when the tax office updates there system with the previous tax years pay and tax information.
What to do if you receive a P800
- You need to carefully check the details on the P800 using your P11D, P45 and P60 certificates and your payslips. Mistakes are made and the responsibility for finding them rests with the individual taxpayer – not HMRC.
- Make sure that your refund is not just based on the P800 figure, incorporate every tax relief you are entitled to.
For example:
- Lots of professional organisations and trade unions have an agreement with HMRC so that their members can claim tax relief on their fees.
- Mileage allowance of up to 45p per mile for work journeys made in your own car.
- Wearing a uniform for work entitled you to a uniform laundry allowance.
By including all the legitimate tax allowances you can increase your final tax rebate amount by hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds.
Claim your P800 tax refund online
You are now able to claim any tax refund through your online personal tax account or HMRC app.
This is a great addition to HMRC’s online services and means that you don’t have to wait for a cheque by requesting that your refund is paid directly into your bank account.
A cheque will typically be sent to you automatically if you have not claimed your rebate after 45 days of the P800 being issued.
What do I need to claim a P800 tax refund online?
If you have already signed up for a personal tax account or the HMRC app you should login to your account to request your online payment.
If you don’t have the HMRC app or personal tax account you need to sign up to get a government gateway ID before claiming your tax rebate online.
Setting up a personal tax account or the HMRC app only needs done once and is ready to use again in the future should you need it.
You to gather the following information before you start the ‘sign up’ process:
- Mobile or landline number to get a verification code.
- Details of your bank account.
- National Insurance number.
- Your Passport, a payslip or P60 for identification purposes.
- PAYE reference number of your employer which can be found on your most recent P45 or P60.
After getting your ID and going through HMRC’s online process, your money should be safely with your bank account after 3-5 days.
I have questions about my P800 who do I ask?
If you have received a P800 and have a question you can call HMRC (the tax office) by clicking this link.
HMRC’s helpline is often busy so be prepared for a bit of a wait. Make sure you have your national insurance number when you call because they will need it.
Online Safety First!
You will only receive a genuine P800 by post and HMRC will not text or email you to ask for any personal or financial details.
HMRC has a quick link to help you get to the right page: www.gov.uk/p800refund.
If in any doubt, do not enter any details or click on any attachments. Be aware that some online HMRC scams are pretty convincing and it’s easy to make a mistake.
Make sure HMRC has your most up to date address
It is essential to inform HMRC of any changes in your residential address to ensure that you receive your P800 tax calculation and any other important updates regarding your rights and responsibilities.
Consider other reasons why you may be due a tax rebate
When you are dealing with your P800 it’s an ideal time to question whether you are owed a tax rebate for other reasons.
It is important to note that HMRC can only reimburse you for overpayments they are aware of which means if you have eligible work expenses that qualify for a tax rebate you must submit a claim yourself.
You can find out more about tax rebates and why you may be owed a tax rebate in our income tax rebate FAQ’s which answer many of the most popular questions asked online relating to tax rebates and refunds.
