How long does a HMRC tax refund take?​

The tax rebate timescales with RIFT Refunds

We’ve summarised how the process works below but it’s worth noting that depending on the time of year, these timescales can change:

• Sign and return your 64-8 form to authorise us as your agent as quickly as possible. It can take us between 2-6 weeks to become logged as your agent.

The 64-8 form is the most important piece of paperwork we need to claim your tax rebate for you. It’s what allows the taxman to talk to us instead of you dealing with him personally. HMRC won’t let us do anything on your behalf without it. Edward Waine ATT, Quality & Service Manager at RIFT Tax Refunds

• Get all the information to us as soon as you can. This includes things like your UTR number if you’re self-employed and documentation relating to the specific costs you’ve incurred.
• It usually takes us about four weeks to put your claim together. But again, depending on time of year this can vary anywhere between 2 days or 12 weeks.
• It’s then sent to HMRC to review, which can take about 8 or 9 weeks.
• Once HMRC is happy with it, they will confirm the total.
• We take our fee and get the money to you in three working days. We’ll let you know by phone and text when the money is on its way to you. You can choose cheque or direct debit.

HMRC Processing TimeHow can I get my refund faster?

If you're worried about how long it takes to get a tax refund, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. HMRC are always busier close to the self assessment tax return deadline of 31 January, and the tax credit renewals deadline of 31 July and they tend to be slower at those times. Check our calendar of key self-assessment dates and deadlines and make sure you're not caught out.

We'll be able to give you an estimate of how long it will take to get your tax refund when your claim begins. Our close working relationship with HMRC means we receive regular updates on their current workload, procedures and timescales for different kinds of enquiries.

Some things to bear in mind to make the process as fast as you can:

• We need your Authorising your agent (64-8) form signed and returned to us before HMRC will let us make your claim, so the quicker you can get that back to us, the sooner we can chase them for you. This is the single biggest delay which prevents us from getting your tax refund processed quickly. If you need a new one you can download it, print it and send it back to us by Freepost. Without 2 hard copies with your signature, HMRC will not talk to us about your claim. It seems annoying, but it's a legal requirement to protect you from fraud.
• If you are self-employed and already have a UTR number (unique taxpayer reference) then this speeds up the process considerably. If you don't have a UTR number yet then we can get you set up and that typically takes around 2 weeks.
• If it's the first time you've done self assessment then we need to open a self assessment record for you. It's a good idea to do this as soon as you know you'll need one. If you wait until deadline time HMRC become very busy and the process can be slow.
• The more documentation you can send us, the quicker we can get the claim calculated. It's always a good idea to keep records of your work expenses, whether or not you're thinking of making a claim right now. Have a look at our documents checklist to see if you have everything you need. The more evidence we can provide to HMRC the better the refund we can get for you.
• If you need to get documents from your employer and they are worried about what is involved then send them to our Information for employers page. Sometimes employers can be worried that a claim is being made against them, rather than from HMRC, but this will explain everything and set their minds at ease. If you need us to contact employers or ex-employers to get paperwork on your behalf, just let us know.

Tax Refund AdviceWhat can RIFT do for me as my agent?

RIFT will handle the entire tax refund process for you from start to finish. We will help you gather all the information you need, prepare and submit your claim.

We'll deal with HMRC for you. You'll never have to phone them or reply to their letters yourself. After you’ve had your refund, you can call us any time with questions about your tax. Keep in touch and we’ll keep you on the right side of the taxman, completely free of charge.

If you spot that your tax code has changed and don't know why get in touch and we'll get if fixed if HMRC's got it wrong. Our tax refund calculator lets you look back over the past 4-years so you can continue to use it each year to see what you could be owed. It takes less than a minute to complete and gives you an instant estimate.

It's all part of the service, and there's a lot more we can do behind the scenes as well - just have a look at these numbers below for the amount of time we're saving you on the phone to HMRC for starters!

Track my claimTrack your tax refund claim in the RIFT Tax Refunds app

Use the RIFT tax refunds app to track the status of your HMRC tax refund. We'll keep you up to date every time the status of your claim changes and even give you an expected pay out date so you'll down when you're getting your cash. All you have to do this think about how to spend it! PLUS you can earn even more money while you wait for your tax refund by using the app to refer your friends to RIFT too.

Just search for 'RIFT Tax Refunds' in the app store.

When do HMRC pay tax refunds?Why might I be owed a tax refund?

There are actually lots of reasons why you might have to claim tax back from HMRC. Most of the time, it'll be because you've been spending money in order to do your job. Travel to temporary workplaces is a common reason, but there are many more. It's not just about your expenses, either. For example, you might be owed a tax refund if:

• You've been given an "emergency" tax code, or your tax code is wrong.
• You're self-employed and your payments on account are too high.
• You have more than one job and aren't getting the full value of your tax-free Personal Allowance.

It can also make a difference if your personal circumstances change. If you leave a job part-way through the tax year, for instance, the tax you've paid might be too high. You might also become eligible for tax relief that you couldn't claim before. If the taxman realises that you've paid the wrong tax, he'll send you a P800 tax calculation to tell you.

HMRC Payable OrderWhat is a payable order from HMRC?

A payable order is one of the ways HMRC pays out tax rebates. It's a lot like a cheque, and is either sent to you or directly to your bank. HMRC aims to send refunds out by payable order within 5 weeks, but sometimes takes a bit longer. If you get a P800 calculation that says you're owed tax back, you might receive a payable order for the refund along with it. If you're claiming your tax refund through RIFT, HMRC will send a payable order to us. We'll then take our fee and send the rest of the money straight to you.