Claiming Back Tax

Adam2007

Hi,I'm having a problem as to finding out how I can claim back overpaid tax for my last few jobs. I've tried ringing the tax office, but I can never get through, so I'm hoping that one of you may be able to help.I was employed by an agency from Feb 06 until Jan 07, then a permament job between Jan 07 and Mar 07 which I left and then went back to the same agency. In each case, I was put on emergency tax. At my first agency spell, the tax code was sorted out, but I lost a bit for the first few weeks, but the other two haven't been, due to the short time in both so far.I've looked on the tax website, but can't make head nor tail as to what to do as it seems overly complicated!Please can someone help?!Thanks!

Conor_3

If you are an employee on PAYE:

• If I have to pay additional tax on emergency code, when will I get it back?
  Your employer will normally pay it back to you on the next pay day after you get your proper code. If the tax year ends before you get your proper code, the Tax Office will send you the repayment.

• What should I do if I leave my job?
  It is important to get a form P45 from your employer. If you don't go to another job and don't start claiming unemployment benefit, you may be entitled to a tax repayment. After a month, ask for a repayment claim form P50 which you should complete and return to your Tax Office with your P45 Parts 2 and 3 if you have them. We give repayment claims top priority and try to make sure you get any refund you are due within 28 days.

• What happens if I think I have paid the wrong amount of tax?
  Contact your Tax Office to ask them to check the amount you have paid is correct. If you have paid too much tax, the Tax Office will send you a repayment

Adam2007

Hi,Thanks for your reply.That may have solved my first job in the list, however my second job (the permanent one) was always on the emergency tax code, so how would I go about claiming that back?Thanks.

Bean_Counter

You might want to complete form R40, as the P50 is if you have stopped working.

If you get to a new job and for some reason ahven't got your P45, ask to fill in a P60. This should at least stop you being on emergency tax code.

I've always found the tax office fine for dealing with repayments. Are you sure that you are ringing the correct tax office? If you look at a payslip / P45 / P60, what are the first three digits of the reference number?

punkgirlyuk

Find out the address for your Tax Office, by using the reference code on your latest tax document. I was just told to send my P45's or P60, anything with tax details for that year, with a covering letter asking them to check and refund any overpayed tax. It took 2 months but I finally got a nice cheque from them!

Adam2007

Thanks for the replies.So punkgirlyuk did you send the original P45/60s or photocopies? And did you get them back afterwards?I don't have a P45 for the end of the first agency job, however I do have one for the permanent job. Will that be a likely problem?Also I forgot to say, I was registered as self-employed up until Feb this year (yet I wasn't earning anything), will this have any effect on things?Thanks again.

Savvy_Sue

Bean_Counter wrote: »

If you get to a new job and for some reason ahven't got your P45, ask to fill in a P60.

That should read

If you get to a new job and for some reason haven't got your P45, ask to fill in a P46.

(You can't fill in a P60, that's the form your employer gives you by mid May for any job in which you were employed at the end of the tax year.)

It's worth trying to phone the tax office at different times of day: I think they do some evening and Saturday openings, although I may be wrong about that.

BTW, can't argue with the rest of Bean Counter's post! And it's easy to get all the Ps mixed up ...

Bean_Counter

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

That should read

If you get to a new job and for some reason haven't got your P45, ask to fill in a P46.

(You can't fill in a P60, that's the form your employer gives you by mid May for any job in which you were employed at the end of the tax year.)

It's worth trying to phone the tax office at different times of day: I think they do some evening and Saturday openings, although I may be wrong about that.

BTW, can't argue with the rest of Bean Counter's post! And it's easy to get all the Ps mixed up ...

My apologies, you are of course absolutely right. Too busy thinking of the P60 for the tax reference part.