How long does a HMRC tax refund take?​

How long does a tax refund take with RIFT?

When you use RIFT as your authorised tax agent, there are two parts to the process. 

Step 1: Preparing your claim 

Once we have all your information, it usually takes around 4 weeks to prepare and submit your claim properly. 

This includes: 

• Reviewing your tax history
• Calculating eligible expenses
• Checking tax codes
• Identifying missed allowances
• Preparing supporting documentation 

Submitting a complete and accurate claim reduces the likelihood of delays once HMRC reviews it. 

If you are unsure what paperwork you need, see our documents checklist. 

Step 2: HMRC review 

After submission, HMRC will review the claim. 

This typically takes: 

• Up to 12 weeks for many PAYE claims
• Around 8 to 10 weeks for Self Assessment refunds 

Once HMRC confirms the amount, we transfer your refund to you within 3 working days after deducting our agreed fee. You can choose to receive your money by bank transfer or cheque. 

We will notify you by phone and text when the refund is on its way.

RIFT top tips for getting your tax refund faster

If you're worried about how long it takes to get a tax refund, there are some things you can do to speed up the process.

HMRC are always busier close to the self assessment tax return deadline of 31 January, and the tax credit renewals deadline of 31 July and they tend to be slower at those times.

Check our calendar of key self-assessment dates and deadlines and make sure you're not caught out.

We'll be able to give you an estimate of how long it will take to get your tax refund when your claim begins. Our close working relationship with HMRC means we receive regular updates on their current workload, procedures and timescales for different kinds of enquiries.

Some things to bear in mind to make the process as fast as you can:

• We need your Authorising your agent (64-8) form signed and returned to us before HMRC will let us make your claim, so the quicker you can get that back to us, the sooner we can chase them for you. This is the single biggest delay which prevents us from getting your tax refund processed quickly. If you need a new one you can download it, print it and send it back to us by Freepost. Without 2 hard copies with your signature, HMRC will not talk to us about your claim. It seems annoying, but it's a legal requirement to protect you from fraud.
• If you are self-employed and already have a UTR number (unique taxpayer reference) then this speeds up the process considerably. If you don't have a UTR number yet then we can get you set up and that typically takes around 2 weeks.
• If it's the first time you've done self assessment then we need to open a self assessment record for you. It's a good idea to do this as soon as you know you'll need one. If you wait until deadline time HMRC become very busy and the process can be slow.
• The more documentation you can send us, the quicker we can get the claim calculated. It's always a good idea to keep records of your work expenses, whether or not you're thinking of making a claim right now. Have a look at our documents checklist to see if you have everything you need. The more evidence we can provide to HMRC the better the refund we can get for you.
• If you need to get documents from your employer and they are worried about what is involved then send them to our Information for employers page. Sometimes employers can be worried that a claim is being made against them, rather than from HMRC, but this will explain everything and set their minds at ease. If you need us to contact employers or ex-employers to get paperwork on your behalf, just let us know.

At RIFT Tax Refunds, we'll check in with HMRC regularly during the process, provided you've signed a 64-8 Authorising Your Agent Form but you can also track your tax rebate progress using the RIFT Tax Refunds app.

Did you know we offer a Rapid Refund Service too? Jump the queue and get 50% of your refund upfront. 

When are HMRC busiest?

Why use a tax agent?

What Are RIFT's Prices?

Our standard tax refund charges are:

• Tax refund if employed ‘on the books’ and taxed via PAYE: 36% of refund claimed (including VAT). Minimum fee £60 (including VAT).
• Tax refund for CIS (including tax return preparation and submission): £330 (including VAT).

Not everyone’s work situation is cut-and-dried, of course. If you’ve been both employed and self-employed during the period of your claim, we can still work out any refund you’re owed and let you know the fee for claiming it.

As soon as your tax refund arrives from HMRC, we’ll take out the agreed fee and send you your money. You pay nothing at all up-front and there are no hidden charges down the line. If you don’t have a refund claim, then there’s no charge at all.

Before your claim goes out to HMRC, you’ll get a copy from us to explain how everything works. This breakdown will show you:

• The total refund we calculated.
• RIFT’s fee.
• The VAT charged by HMRC.
• Your final refund total.

When you’ve read your calculation through and are happy to proceed, simply sign it and send it back to us. Make sure to sign the declaration that the information you gave us was correct, so we can get your claim moving.

As far as fees and charges go, that’s it! Our single fee includes year-round aftercare, with no additional charges for answering questions, solving problems or chasing HMRC until your money arrives. We’ll even take care of tricky things like fixing your tax code if HMRC changes it incorrectly.

What’s more, our unique RIFT Guarantee makes sure your money stays in your pocket, where it belongs. If HMRC makes an enquiry, we’ll handle it for you – and if they ask for some of your refund back we’ll pay it ourselves at no cost to you. Just make sure all the details you gave us were accurate and you’re covered!

We’ll even send you a reminder to claim again next year so you don’t miss out.

Track my claimTrack your tax refund claim in the RIFT Tax Refunds app

Use the RIFT tax refunds app to track the status of your HMRC tax refund. We'll keep you up to date every time the status of your claim changes and even give you an expected pay out date so you'll down when you're getting your cash. All you have to do this think about how to spend it! PLUS you can earn even more money while you wait for your tax refund by using the app to refer your friends to RIFT too.

Just search for 'RIFT Tax Refunds' in the app store.

Am I due a tax rebate?

Tax rebates are paid out by HMRC when someone has paid too much tax in a year. They’re a legal right, and shouldn’t be mistaken for a one-off bonus or some dodgy way of ‘cheating the system’. Simply put, when you pay more tax than you owe, you can claim the extra back as a tax refund.

For instance, paying from your own pocket for unavoidable work expenses like travel to temporary workplaces can mean you’re owed a tax refund for your expenses. They’re worth claiming back, too – refund payouts can cover up to 4 years, meaning full claims with RIFT stack up to £3,000 on average. Refunds are subject to fees of 36%. Exclusions apply.

The main reason people are missing out on their yearly tax refunds is that they simply don’t realise that they’re owed money – much less how to get it back. HMRC can only refund your tax when they know that you’re owed money, and the system for claiming it back can be complicated if you’re not a tax expert. That’s where RIFT’s specialised, 1-to-1 service comes in. With our help, you’ll never miss out on the tax refunds you’re due.

All you need to do is answer a few basic questions to get your tax refund moving. See our tax refund calculator for an instant estimate of what HMRC owes you.

When do HMRC pay tax refunds?I've got a P800. Will my tax be refunded automatically?

If you've been sent a P800 tax calculation from HMRC, it means you've either paid too much or too little tax. What happens next depends on your situation. If you've underpaid, HMRC will explain how they'll claw the money back. In many cases, they'll take care of it automatically in instalments. If they can't do that, they'll let you know what you have to do to settle up. In those cases, it'll usually involve a cheque or bank draft.

If you've paid too much tax, your P800 will explain what you have to do to get it back. In some cases, your tax rebate will happen automatically. That usually takes around 2 weeks to come through. Otherwise, you might be able to claim it online.

Remember, not receiving a P800 doesn't mean you're not owed a tax refund. All it means is the taxman doesn't know he owes you the money. Of course, with RIFT you won't need to worry about dealing with the hassle and complexity of all this. If we're already handling a travel refund claim for you, for instance, we'll take care of any other rebates you might be owed at the same time.

HMRC Payable OrderWhat is a payable order from HMRC?

A payable order is one of the ways HMRC pays out tax rebates. It's a lot like a cheque, and is either sent to you or directly to your bank. HMRC aims to send refunds out by payable order within 5 weeks, but sometimes takes a bit longer. If you get a P800 calculation that says you're owed tax back, you might receive a payable order for the refund along with it. If you're claiming your tax refund through RIFT, HMRC will send a payable order to us. We'll then take our fee and send the rest of the money straight to you.

What Happens If I Don’t Get My Self Assessment In On Time?

There’s no excuse for not be strict with self assessment tax return deadlines, even if you don't owe HMRC anything. If you miss the deadline there are a number of self assessment tax return penalties that you could be hit with:

• £100 automatic fine for filing even a single day late,
• £900 in penalties can stack up over the next three months
• £3,000 for each year you can’t provide the necessary records

However, we can help you with that. We can comple your tax return, or making the calculations for any refunds due, we can speak to the HMRC on your behalf. Get additional self assessment tax return tips and advice here.