Self assessment repayment delays

I submitted my 'request a payment' online form over 6 weeks ago and have heard nothing from HMRC. I have tried to call the helpline several times only to be told after 40 minutes that there are technical problems and the help line is now closed. Is there a delay on 21/22 tax repayments and how can I speak to someone in HMRC to find out (without writing a letter) what is happening?

Hi,
We apologise if you have had issues getting through.
You will need to contact our Self Assessment department to query why the repayment has not been issued:
Self Assessment: general enquiries
Thank you.

I now have 2 repayments awaiting processing and have had no communication. HMRC are sitting on over two thousand pounds of my money and this is the only way that I can contact them as help lines are down until September. This is wholly unacceptable and very worrying, especially given the high level of government debt and strained government finances. Am I ever going to see my money?

Hi Ian Wilding
You will need to query this with out Self Assessment department.
If you click on 'Ask HMRC Online' and request to speak with an adviser, you will be put in the queue for Self Assessment Webchat.
Self Assessment: general enquiries

I'm owed over £900 - Clearly the HMRC repayment online service isn't working. I must have tried about 4 times to claim the money owed and each time I've done it, you do get a receipt (Will take 2-4weeks). There is nothing wrong with the pay online system if you need to pay tax, you even get nice letters to remind you... even red ones. It's funny how HMRC act above common law in repaying funds owned! In the same way as their Retail or Services counterparts.

Waiting since October for £1500. And now they claim to have sent a cheque. A cheque! To a customer in a place with not one bank branch.

Hi Martin Murray

If you have still not received the repayment then you will need to contact HMRC to review this for you Self Assessment: general enquiries

Thank you

I am owed over £10K after a pension drawdown was over taxed in January. It has been an absolute nightmare. I submitted a P55 to reclaim the tax on 23 Jan 2024, I was sent a calculation confirming the over payment on 13 Feb 2024, it told me the payment would be made to my bank. The repayment has been showing pending ever since on my personal tax portal. It has been virtually impossible to get through to anyone at HMRC. I have been on hold on average 45 minutes each time I called (on at least 10 occasions), I once held for 1h 44m. I've been cut off numerous times whilst holding. I've been cut off when speaking to an agent. Ive been cut off from online help, cut off due to technical issues. I'm often told on chat that advisors are not available. When I have managed to speak to an advisor, none have been able to tell me why there is a delay in my payment, they can only say security checks are pending and that the case is with the payment department .... but one can't speak to them. One agent put the phone down on me. Agents do not seem to have the authority to actually help customers and resolve issues. I raised a formal complaint over three weeks ago but have had no response. The service is not fit for purpose. I rely on my personal pension to live and I drew additional pension to invest in the 22/23 tax year. I have missed that opportunity and it has cost me a considerable sum and is incredibly worrying and frustrating. Delays of three months for a simple refund are unacceptable. I can't see why security checks should take more than a couple of days. My address hasn't changed for 23 years, my bank hasn't changed for almost 50 years, I have been doing online self assessment for many years. What is so difficult about issuing the refund? Please don't reply with 'Contact HMRC Self Assessment' general enquiries, that just starts the whole frustrating process all over again. I would suggest others formally complain at the earliest opportunity when payments are delayed and that they write to their MP. The government needs to get a grip of HMRC.

Hi The Flying Scotsman,
We are for the issues you've experienced in trying to progress your repayment claim.
While the security checks we're required to conduct usually take around 6 weeks, they can occasionally take longer depending on any additional work we need to do.
For example, if we needed to confirm with your bank the figures you provided.
If you'd like to review the progress of your repayment, you can contact us via the methods previously described, but if you'd like to raise a complaint, you can do so by searching for  'Complain about HMRC' on gov.uk.
Thank you.