How to claim your tax refund

Get the money you are entitled to

Before starting your tax refund claim it is best to gather everything you will need as this will save the tax office from having to contact you for more information later on.

Remember that your claim covers the last six years so try and gather all the paperwork relevant to that period. At the moment, the farthest tax year for which you can claim is 2003-2004 (after 31st of January 2010 it will be 2004-2005.)

What you will need:

  • Any P45s you have from the last six years.
  • Any P60s you have from the last six years.
  • Information about your employment history, covering the last six years i.e. the name and address of each company you worked for, and the dates you worked there.
  • Information about any benefits you received in that time.

Although your tax office can still process a tax refund even if you cannot provide all the information, it is best if you supply as much as you can so that you get a maximum refund. If you do not have all your P45s or P60s then contact your employers and request them.

Claim your tax refund

If you're still working and just want to get a tax refund for this year then contact your company's local tax office. Their contact details can be found using the 'Find a Tax Office' section of the HM Revenue and Customs website. They should already have all the information they need to process your refund and will include any rebate in your wages.

To get a tax refund for previous years you will need all the paperwork listed above.

Send any P45s and/or P60s you have along with employment and/or benefits history to your local tax office. Your tax office's contact details can be found using the 'Find a Tax Office' section of the HM Revenue and Customs website.

It is vital you send as much information as you can. Missing paperwork will slow down your claim and possibly result in only a partial refund.

Once your tax office has the info they need they will look into your query, work out how much they owe you and send you a refund in the post. Simple.

If you've been unemployed for at least four weeks, have retired, or returned to studies you can claim a tax refund by filling in a P50 form. You can print one of these from the HMRC website of from a post office.

Complete the P50 and send it to your local tax office along with parts 2 and 3 of your P45. The tax office will calculate how much you're owed and send you your tax rebate in the post. If you get a pension from your old employer, your refund will be added to your pension payments.