HMRC has issued a statement about "money owed" letters being sent to taxpayers, clarifying how people can check whether they are affected and what action they need to take. The update follows a query from a parent on social media about their son's tax situation.
The parent said their son had overpaid tax after losing his job during the 2025/2026 tax year, with the details recorded on his personal tax account. They asked when the refund would be received.
Refund timeframes explained
HMRC responded by setting out key timings. The tax authority said: "Your son will receive his refund within five working days if he claims it online through his personal tax account." Alternatively, a paper cheque can be requested by post, which HMRC said "takes up to six weeks to arrive".
The parent then asked when the cheque should have been sent, given the money had been outstanding since the end of the tax year. HMRC replied: "It could be any time between June and November. To expedite this I would suggest contacting the income tax helpline."
Letters to taxpayers
A spokesperson said: "Customers who have overpaid tax through PAYE receive a P800 tax calculation letter which explains what action they need to take to claim the money owed, either via gov.uk or the HMRC app. Anyone yet to receive a letter can check if they are due a refund by logging into their personal tax account or the HMRC app."
HMRC said the peak period for processing PAYE end-of-year refunds runs from June to July, when it prioritises overpayments and issuing tax calculations.
Action required from taxpayers
If you receive a P800 tax calculation letter, you must take action to claim the repayment. The rules changed in May 2024; previously, if no action was taken within 21 days of a P800 being issued, HMRC would automatically send a cheque. Cheques are no longer sent automatically, so taxpayers must claim the money themselves. Further information about tax overpayments and underpayments is available on the Government website.
