HMRC Cheque Clearance Process

I have a cheque from HMRC (tax refund). I live abroad. Bank here has to send cheque to the Drawer's bank or the issuing/paying bank, i.e. HMRC's bank. To which address in the UK is the cheque sent to?

Hi,

If you are unable to cash the cheque in your overseas bank account. You can open a UK account to cash the cheque or we can issued the cheque to a nominee. If a nominee you can return the cheque with a covering letter with the nominee's name and address. 

Thank you.

I have no UK bank account. Cannot open one. I also have no one I can nominate in the UK. Why do you presume I have these options? Please offer options that I can comply with

Hi Quixotic,

I am sorry but the options for a repayment are to open a UK bank account or send to a nominee with a UK bank account.

Thank you.

Hi HMRC Admin 20 Regarding your reply ' I am sorry but the options for a repayment are to open a UK bank account or send to a nominee with a UK bank account', I'm afraid this advise is not correct in my particular case and you should check your process options again. My bank in South Africa was able to successfully courier the cheque BACK to HMRC (or their bank) for clearance. Presumably a normal process for cheques where there is no other arrangement in the banking system from one country to another. My question was which bank did HMRC use and the UK address but my bank here must have been able to eventually work this out. The cheque was cleared by HMRC's bank (?) and my bank here duly paid the amount into my account. HMRC processes discriminate against those who live overseas and have no further contact back home. Also, need to move with the times, and allow electronic payment as many other countries no longer accept cheques. This is the case in South Africa but the banks still have something in place for foreign cheques BUT a prior clearance is needed.

Just to add. I have been trying to resolve this for over a year. Many many calls. Two attempts at waiting for the cheque which never arrived and had to be cancelled. Postal system in South Africa is bankrupt and cannot be relied on. Asked HMRC to use a courier but to no avail. Tried again and again at persuading an electronic transfer but all falling on deaf ears. In the end I had to create a temporary forwarding UK street address through Anytime Mailbox. HMRC posted the cheque to this address and I then had it couriered to me in South Africa. Then I faced 'no cheques taken anymore' in South Africa (since 2021). Fortunately, for foreign cheques there was still the minimum in place

Hi,

We are sorry if the previous reply did not answer your query fully. The address would be, Barclays Bank, 1 Churchill Place, London, E14 5HP, United Kingdom.

Thank you.