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. 

 

I have been waiting for a £1000 refund from a Self-Assessment overpayment for about 7 weeks now. When can I expect this back?

Hi,
Unfortunately, we are unable to check your records on this forum. You will need to contact our Self Assessment team for advice:
Self Assessment: general enquiries
Thank you.
 

Interest on Refund from self assessment Good morning, After Self assessment has been made and a refund is due. How long can HMRC keep the overpayment before they are liable for interest?

Why do you not have the most recent posts at the top?

Hi T7,
We calculate interest on repayments from 31 January after the year of the calculation
For example, we give RPS for the tax year 2017-18 after 31 January 2019.
For information on interest rates, you can read more here - HMRC interest rates for late and early payments
Thank you.

I have now requested repayment of an overpayment from 2022/23 tax year on 6 occasions. I have each time completed the request on line and followed all steps of the process It is now 5 months since I completed the text return If I call the helpline it simply points me to a service that tells me when I can expected to be paid. How do I actually talk to someone to find out if there is a problem? Thank you

Hi,
I am sorry for the delay in the repayment being issued. To review this we will need to access your record.
You will need to contact our Self Assessment team which can be done using the link below. 
Self Assessment: general enquiries.
Thank you.

Been waiting 4 months for refund, been through 3 security checks all completed; and my payments been cancelled 4 times. Now being told I have to wait until March.

I have repeatedly requested a refund of £95 and not received anything and phoned the helpline. I cannot see any interest calculated on this amount either. I am currently on the phone and have waited over an hour and am still waiting. This is a disgrace

I submitted my self-assessment for tax year 2023/24 on 26th November 2024 and I was initially informed on the HMRC website to expect a refund in early January 2025. I raised a complaint about the delay in receiving my self-assessment. A HMRC complaints hander called me on 17th March, and he told me to expect my refund in 5 to 10 working days. I did not received my refund, and I called 3rd March to enquire about this. The call handler I spoke to this time informed that the refund had been rescheduled to 29th April because I self-filed the tax return and that I should not enquire again as it might be pushed back further. I do find the ongoing delays from the initial filing rather frustrating. I was told that it would take 12 weeks, but it has taken considerably longer than that. It does come across as a veiled threat if your call handler tells me not to chase up any further as this might cause further delays in my refund being paid