Chances of claiming an old tax refund?

Bea787

Been sorting out my tax affairs. Had a letter from HMRC last time I asked them to check, dated 2000, which states that 97/98 and 98/99 years are fine and am due a refund for 99/2000. At that time, I took it at face value.

Since looking at all years to clarify my exact position I realise that this was an error.

97/98 I earnt less than the personal allowance (PA) yet paid nearly £286 tax which should therefore have been refunded. I wasn't and they claimed that year was fine. 98/99 is fine. 99/2000 again I earnt less than the PA but they only refunded tax from 1 job, meaning £340 tax paid in another job (consecutive jobs) should have also been refunded.

I have P45s for the years.

In preliminary enquiries they told me I have missed the date for old refunds and they don't hold old records. This stings a bit as I am in the process of declaring that I owe more tax than they realise in recent years from a savings account I once held (subsequent to the above).

Can anyone advise whether it is worth pursuing or the best way to do so? I think it should go in my favour that I had asked them to review the years in question and the error is theirs but maybe I just have to stump is as I should have dealt with it sooner. Am ready to argue my case if it might be worthwhile, but equally don't have time to waste. It is nearly £600 though! Any experience of similar or views on how to/whether to approach this would be welcome. Thanks all

nomunnofun

Miles too late - time limit is four years after the end of the tax year - used to be six.

Bea787

I have a sneaky feeling I can guess the answer to this, but does the tax man have a similar deadline for the years they can claim tax back from us?

You reckon no chance even though they made the mistake in the first calculation and that my initial request was within deadline? (I know I should have checked it at the time but I believed what they said!)