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Paying & refunds

How to claim a Self Assessment tax refund

If your tax return shows you've paid more than you owe, HMRC owes you a refund. That happens more often than people think — overpaid payments on account, CIS deductions and pension tax relief are common reasons. Here's how to claim it.

TaxGo Editorial TeamLast reviewed · Tax year 2025/263 min read
Contents
  1. 01Why you might be owed a refund
  2. 02How to claim it
  3. 03How long refunds take
  4. 04If you've a payment due soon
  5. 05Avoid refund scams
  6. 06Extra relief for higher-rate taxpayers

Key takeaways

  • Your tax return works out if you've overpaid. The refund shows in your online account.
  • Claim it by requesting a repayment in your HMRC account — it isn't always paid automatically.
  • Common causes: payments on account too high, CIS deductions, pension contributions, Gift Aid.
  • Only claim through HMRC directly. Beware of refund scams by text or email.

Why you might be owed a refund

  • Your payments on account were higher than your actual bill.
  • You're a CIS subcontractor and too much was deducted — see CIS tax refunds.
  • You paid into a personal pension or made Gift Aid donations as a higher-rate taxpayer and can claim extra relief.
  • You had large allowable expenses — see allowable expenses.
  • You were on an emergency tax code or left a job part-way through the year.
If you're employed and only overpaid through PAYE (not Self Assessment), HMRC usually sorts it out through your tax code or a P800 calculation instead.

How to claim it

  1. File your tax return. The calculation shows whether you've overpaid.
  2. Sign in to your HMRC online account or the HMRC app.
  3. Check your Self Assessment statement for a credit balance.
  4. Choose to request a repayment and give your UK bank details.

You can also tick the box on the return asking for any overpayment to be repaid, and enter your bank details there.

Useful tool

Estimate your bill to see whether you're likely to be owed money.

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How long refunds take

HMRC aims to process most repayments within a few weeks of the request, but it can take longer at busy times or if HMRC needs to check your return. Your online account shows the status.

If you've a payment due soon

If you're due a refund but have a payment coming up (for example 31 January or 31 July), you can leave the credit on your account to be set against it.

Avoid refund scams

HMRC won't text you a refund link

HMRC doesn't send refund offers by text, email or social media asking for bank details. Sign in to your account directly from GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

Prepare your return with TaxGo and you'll see whether you're owed money before you approve anything — with every figure traced back to its source document.

Extra relief for higher-rate taxpayers

Two of the most commonly missed refunds come from personal pension contributions and Gift Aid donations.

When you pay into a personal pension (not a workplace scheme using 'net pay'), your provider claims basic-rate relief for you. If you're a higher- or additional-rate taxpayer, you can claim the extra 20% or 25% through your tax return by entering your gross contributions.

Gift Aid works the same way: the charity claims basic-rate tax, and higher-rate taxpayers can claim the difference on their return.

You paid in (net)Gross contributionExtra relief for a higher-rate taxpayer
£800£1,000£200
£4,000£5,000£1,000

Illustrative figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Have your pension statements and a list of Gift Aid donations ready when you prepare your return.

Questions people ask

Is my Self Assessment refund paid automatically?

Not always. Check your online account and request a repayment if you have a credit.

How far back can I claim a tax refund?

You can generally claim overpaid tax for up to four years after the end of the tax year it relates to.

Can I get my refund paid to someone else's account?

You can nominate another person (such as an agent) to receive it, but most people have it paid to their own UK bank account.

Get your 2025/26 return ready without the forms.

Upload your documents. TaxGo reads them, asks only what's missing and calculates your tax. £79 per return, paid when it's ready.

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Related guides

This guide is general information based on HMRC guidance for the 2025/26 tax year, not personal tax advice. Rules and rates change — check GOV.UK or speak to a qualified adviser about your circumstances.

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