If your P800 tax calculation says you can claim online, HMRC sends a bank transfer within 5 working days of your claim. A cheque you ask for online takes up to 6 weeks, and a cheque HMRC sends automatically arrives within 14 days of the letter's date. For other claims, HMRC's reply-time tool gives its current processing times.
Those three P800 timings are the only refund times HMRC publishes as fixed figures (HMRC). Everything else, such as a claim for work expenses or a Self Assessment repayment, depends on HMRC's current workload, which it publishes weekly in its Check when you can expect a reply from HMRC tool.
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HMRC refund timings at a glance
| Route | How long HMRC says it takes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| P800 refund claimed online, paid by bank transfer | Within 5 working days | HMRC |
| P800 refund, cheque requested online | Within 6 weeks | HMRC |
| P800 says a cheque will be sent | Within 14 days of the date on the letter | HMRC |
| When P800 letters are sent | Between June and March after the tax year ends | HMRC |
| Claims for job expenses, and other refund claims | No fixed time: see HMRC's reply-time tool, updated weekly | HMRC |
| Oldest year you can still claim in 2026/27 | 2022/23, until 5 April 2027 | legislation.gov.uk |
Only the three P800 timings are figures HMRC publishes as fixed. Everything else moves with HMRC's workload, which is why the fifth row points at the weekly reply-time tool rather than quoting a number that would be wrong within a month. Each entry was re-read at its source on 27 September 2026.
An earlier version of this guide gave week ranges for other claim types, such as 8 to 12 weeks for a job expenses claim. HMRC does not publish those as fixed figures, so we have removed them.
The P800 route: the fastest refund
After each tax year ends on 5 April, HMRC checks the tax taken through PAYE against what you owed. If you paid too much, it sends a P800 tax calculation letter. For the 2025/26 tax year, letters go out between June 2026 and March 2027 (HMRC).
The letter tells you which of two routes applies.
If you can claim online
You need the reference number on the letter and your National Insurance number. You can claim through HMRC's online service, your personal tax account or the HMRC app. The short address printed on P800 letters, gov.uk/p800refund, takes you to the same GOV.UK page (HMRC).
- Bank transfer: sent within 5 working days.
- Cheque: sent within 6 weeks.
If the letter says a cheque will be sent
You do not need to claim. The cheque arrives within 14 days of the date on the letter. If you are owed money for more than one year, you get one cheque for the total.
Worked example: claim online or wait?
Your P800 dated 10 July 2026 shows a £628.50 refund and says you can claim online. You claim by bank transfer on 13 July. HMRC's published timing means the money should be sent by 20 July, 5 working days later. The same refund taken as a requested cheque could take up to 6 weeks, until 24 August.
Claiming a refund without a P800
If you think you paid too much tax and no P800 has arrived, use HMRC's claim a tax refund tool. It covers refunds on pay from a job, job expenses, pensions, redundancy, savings interest and several other kinds of income, and directs you to the right claim (HMRC).
Job expenses
You can claim tax relief on things you must buy for your job and use only for work, if your employer has not paid you back (HMRC). You must send evidence of what you spent. The relief is worth your tax rate: claim £60 as a basic-rate taxpayer and you get £12 back.
- For the current tax year, HMRC usually adjusts your tax code, so the relief comes through your pay.
- For previous years, HMRC adjusts your code or pays a refund.
- Working from home: you cannot claim relief for the 2026/27 tax year. You can still claim for the 4 previous tax years if you qualify (HMRC).
If you complete a Self Assessment return, claim job expenses on the return instead.
Worked example: professional subscription
You paid a £200 professional subscription in 2025/26 that your employer did not reimburse, and you pay tax at 20%. Your relief is £200 × 20% = £40. Because 2025/26 has ended, HMRC will either pay the £40 or adjust your code.
The 4-year time limit
A claim for overpaid tax must be made within 4 years of the end of the tax year it relates to (Taxes Management Act 1970, Sch. 1AB para 3).
| Tax year of the overpayment | Last date to claim |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 5 April 2027 |
| 2023/24 | 5 April 2028 |
| 2024/25 | 5 April 2029 |
| 2025/26 | 5 April 2030 |
What slows a refund down
- Wrong bank details. Check the sort code and account number before you submit.
- Old address. Cheques and letters go to the address HMRC holds. Update it in your personal tax account.
- Missing evidence on a job expenses claim.
- Figures that do not match what your employer reported. Check your P60 and final payslips first.
- Claiming the wrong year. A refund belongs to the tax year the tax was deducted in.
When to chase HMRC
Wait until the published time has passed. For a P800 bank transfer that is 5 working days; for a requested cheque 6 weeks; for an automatic cheque 14 days from the letter's date. For anything else, check the current estimate in HMRC's reply-time tool first. Then call the income tax helpline on 0300 200 3300 with your National Insurance number and any reference numbers (HMRC).
Do you need a refund company?
No. The P800 claim takes a few minutes with the reference on your letter and HMRC does not charge. A company that files the same claim will usually keep a share of the refund.
To check whether the tax lines on your payslip suggest you have overpaid, see How do I check my payslip is correct?.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an HMRC tax refund take?
If your P800 says you can claim online, HMRC sends a bank transfer within 5 working days of your claim, or a cheque within 6 weeks if you ask for one. If the letter says a cheque will be sent automatically, it arrives within 14 days of the letter's date. For other claims, check HMRC's reply-time tool.
How long does a P800 refund take?
5 working days by bank transfer if you claim online, 6 weeks for a cheque you ask for online, or 14 days from the date on the letter if HMRC is sending a cheque automatically.
Is a bank transfer faster than a cheque?
Yes. A bank transfer after an online P800 claim is sent within 5 working days. A cheque you request online can take up to 6 weeks.
How far back can I claim a tax refund?
4 years from the end of the tax year. In the 2026/27 tax year the oldest year you can still claim for is 2022/23, and that claim must be made by 5 April 2027.
Can I claim tax relief for working from home in 2026/27?
No. HMRC says you cannot claim tax relief for working from home for the tax year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. You can still claim for the 4 previous tax years if you met the conditions.
When should I chase HMRC about my refund?
Only once the published time has passed: 5 working days for a P800 bank transfer, 6 weeks for a requested cheque, or 14 days from the letter's date for an automatic cheque. For other claims, check HMRC's reply-time tool, then call 0300 200 3300.
Sources
All sources were opened and checked by PayslipIQ on 21 September 2026.
- HMRC (GOV.UK): If your tax calculation letter (P800) says you're due a refund. 5 working days, 6 weeks and 14 days; the gov.uk/p800refund short address redirects here. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
- HMRC (GOV.UK): Tax overpayments and underpayments. When P800 letters are sent. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
- HMRC (GOV.UK): Check when you can expect a reply from HMRC. Updated weekly. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
- HMRC (GOV.UK): Check how to claim a tax refund. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
- HMRC (GOV.UK): Claim tax relief for your job expenses and working from home. Evidence, and no working-from-home relief for 2026/27. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
- legislation.gov.uk: Taxes Management Act 1970, Schedule 1AB, paragraph 3. The 4-year limit. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
- HMRC (GOV.UK): Income Tax: enquiries. Verified 21 Sep 2026.
Disclaimer
PayslipIQ provides educational guidance based on published HMRC information. It is not regulated tax advice. HMRC's processing times change; check its reply-time tool before you chase a claim.
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Check my payslip freePayslipIQ provides educational information and estimated calculations only. It does not provide tax, legal, financial, payroll, accounting, pension, benefits or employment advice. Always verify your payslip, tax code, deductions and take-home pay with your employer's payroll department, HMRC, your pension provider, a qualified accountant, tax adviser or another appropriately qualified professional.