Pension pot emergency tax refund process

sally_lc

I left my job last financial year, and also cashed in one small pension pot in its entirety. For both of these, I am due a tax refund. Please can someone explain:
- the pension pot was taxed at emergency rate, and I was told I had to fill in a P53Z to get a refund on this. As I will need to do a tax return to claim the overpaid tax from my employer, can I get a refund on the pension pot tax too just by doing a self assessment, and so avoid having to do a P53Z as well ?
- If so, what documentation if any do I need from pension provider to do this  ? They were supposed to be sending a P53Z ages ago but despite repeated phone calls and emails have been completely useless in getting it to me - I have a letter with the figures on - can I just use that ?
Thanks

JoeCrystal

Why would they send you a form since it is nothing to do with them. It is downloadable from the HMRC site or fill it out online.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-repayment-claim-when-small-pension-taken-as-a-lump-sum-p53

sally_lc

Yes sorry - can't edit post as I'm new - what I meant to say is they were supposed to be sending me a P45, which I understand I need to complete a P53Z. But can I do a tax return without a P45 ?

molerat

sally_lc said:

Yes sorry - can't edit post as I'm new - what I meant to say is they were supposed to be sending me a P45, which I understand I need to complete a P53Z. But can I do a tax return without a P45 ?

As long as you know the amounts. HMRC will already have received the details electronically anyway.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Now the tax year has ended you cannot complete a P53Z and a Self Assessment return.

You just need to complete the Self Assessment return, which is a declaration of all of your taxable income, and any tax overpaid will be refunded.

sally_lc

Ok thank you both
Molerat - I've logged in to HMRC and as you say the details are all in there
It also says that they they will calculate 21-22 tax automatically and write to me between June and October and explain how to get a refund if I've paid too much. I read another website that said sometimes the P800 reconciliation system will refund automatically.
So now I'm hoping it will happen automatically and I don't need to do a self assessment at all...  ( contrary to what Dazed says.. ,but then my affairs are very simple) 

[Apologies for my ignorance, I've just been PAYE and few stable jobs throughout my working life and this is all new to me]

molerat

You stated that you were going to do a tax return so D&C's remark was that you would add it to that.  If you are a simple PAYE tax payer who does not normally submit self assessment then HMRC will sort it automatically in due course.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

molerat said:

You stated that you were going to do a tax return so D&C's remark was that you would add it to that.  If you are a simple PAYE tax payer who does not normally submit self assessment then HMRC will sort it automatically in due course.

Spot on.

The only suggestion a tax return was needed was from the op.

But can I do a tax return without a P45 ?

If a tax return isn't necessary then there is still no need to complete a P53Z as now that the tax year in question has ended HMRC will automatically refund any overpaid tax later this summer.

https://www.gov.uk/tax-overpayments-and-underpayments

sally_lc

Thanks very much both - you have explained everything. My original post was misleading out of my ignorance - didn't even know they would refund it automatically and my assumption from the outset was I'd have to do a tax return to get it. 
This forum has been an amazing source of help to me over the last 2 or 3 months, deciding what to do about my pension etc. It's good to have knowledgeable people out there. Thanks again