Tax rebate scheme

ferret1969

New member, so please be gentle with me 
I'm currently employed and have been with sane company last 16 years, recently someone at work approached me with reference to a tax rebate scheme he was told about. Apparently all I have to do is give my n.i number and passport details to someone and they will claim tax back for me, am I being sceptical l or does this sound too good to be true?????. Couple of lads have done this and showed me correspondences they've had back from hmrc and from what I've seen its got self assessment on them.  I always associate self assessment with self employed people, but these lads have had rebates of upto £3000 pound. I was just wondering if this sounds a genuine tax rebate scheme as it just sounds too good too be true,but if genuine, too good to turn down.
Any advice anyone could give me would really be appreciated 
Thanks for any help

brettcta

Why do you think you’re due a tax rebate?

Contact HMRC direct and they’ll tell you if you’re due any money back. Anyone asking for your NI number and passport (?) should be given a wide berth if not only for the fact that they’ll likely want a hefty chunk of change in commission.

avoid and contact HMRC directly.

dunstonh

Apparently all I have to do is give my n.i number and passport details to someone and they will claim tax back for me

It would also give a fraudster sufficient personal information to start identify fraud.

am I being sceptical l or does this sound too good to be true?????.

On the one sentence you have given us about it, it sounds like a scammer.  However, it could equally be valid.  However,there is no such thing as a tax rebate scheme.

d from what I've seen its got self assessment on them.  I always associate self assessment with self employed people, 

Everybody is on self assessment. Including you.

but these lads have had rebates of upto £3000 pound.

Have these lads told you what the HMRC refund was for?  i.e. what did they overpay in the first place that has led to HMRC giving a refund?

Are these lads well known to you?

ferret1969

The person who does it takes 10% of any money claimed back. The lads whove had rebates are lads I work with but they haven't said what they have tax rebates for, thanks for your replies 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

So these lads have had £3,000 back and presumably have given the rebate company £300 leaving them with £2,700.

Move forward a few months and let's say HMRC decide to investigate those returns and decide that no tax refund was actually due.

The lads have to pay £3,000 back to HMRC (probably plus some interest if not a penalty).

They can pay £2,700 back no problem as they still have that in their bank account but do you think the rebate company will be in chipping in their £300?  If not the lads will be at least £300 out of pocket.

The fact that cannot tell you why they were due these refunds speaks volumes.  They would have had to agree the entries on the return so presumably have not understood what they have been agreeing to.  Never a good position to be in.

ferret1969

From my brief conversations with the lads concerned all I think they've done is give the rebate company the details required and let them get on with it. I don't think they even know whats been claimed on their behalf. I think I've made my mind up and gonna give it a wide berth,it sounds too good to be true  and if it was that easy to do why isn't everyone doing it, thanks 

El_Torro

The rebate company / people who want your personal details / probable scammers don’t know more about your tax position than HMRC does. If you really think you’ve paid too much tax it’s best to speak to HMRC directly about it.

There are genuine situations where you might be due money back. For example if you’re a 40% tax payer and you have paid into a pension. You don’t need to pay a middle man 10% to tell you that though.

[Deleted User]

Probably something like the married couples allowance or similar - one of these things knocking around at the moment. Any tax scheme that is legitimate would be on the MSE site and doesn't need 10% payment to anyone

[Deleted User]

If you are legitimately due a tax rebate it's something you can organise yourself without having to handover your NINO and passport details to some unknown 3rd party.

Are you required to wear a uniform for work which you clean yourself at home?  Do you spend your own money on repairing or replacing equipment to do your job?  If so then you might be due a tax rebate.  If so you can put in a rebate claim by filling a form in and posting it to HMRC.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/job-expenses-for-uniforms-work-clothing-and-tools