Refund delay

I completed my self-assessment income tax for the 2022-2023 fiscal year in January 2023. I am entitled to a substantial tax refund, and my account currently reflects this. I have utilized the funds to cover late fees. In early September, I submitted a request to withdraw the refund. I was initially informed that the payment would be processed within two weeks. However, after two weeks, I received neither the refund nor any communication. My account still indicates that the payment is 'pending.' Upon calling HMRC, I was informed that the refund had been selected for additional security checks, which could take up to six weeks. I inquired if I could provide additional information to expedite the security checks but was told that a letter may or may not be issued requesting further details. Now, it has been ten weeks, and I have not received any further communication from HMRC. The payment is still pending in my account. When I contacted HMRC to follow up, I was informed that the additional security checks might not be resolved until January 16, 2024. Unfortunately, I am unable to directly communicate with the team responsible for processing the repayment, and HMRC personnel cannot contact that team for an update until after the specified date. I believe that withholding funds from a taxpayer for six months, especially when the amount is not in question, constitutes gross misconduct on the part of HMRC. I have never encountered a situation where a public or private entity has withheld such a significant amount of funds without providing a valid reason. This delay is causing extreme financial distress for me, and I feel powerless to address the situation. Is anyone else experiencing a similar issue? If so, have you found a way to resolve the situation, and is there a process to escalate the matter? I find it difficult to believe that refunds should take this long to process. HMRC deducted more money from my paycheck than necessary, and they are now causing significant delays in repaying it. Your advice and insights would be greatly appreciated.

Hi PaulHam Hamilton,
As your repayment has been selected for securtiy checks then we would advise of the current timescale.
We apologise for the delay in the checks being completed.
Once completed if no issues then the repayment will be issued and the issued date will show on your online account.
If additional information is needed then a letter will be issued to you.
If you are unhappy with the delay and want to escalate then you can submit a complaint.
To submit a complaint online you need to go to:
Complain about HMRC
Select complain online if you're an individual or a business.
Log in using the relevant HMRC online services account or 'Create sign in details' to create a new account.
Thank you.