Unacceptable HMRC timescale

freedomgrey

Hi,

I applied for an overpayment relief request at the beginning of September 2024.

The expected amount is approx £25,000.

I was told that the request was in a queue and it would be dealt with in December 2024

December passed and then I was then told February 2025.

I have chased it up twice more since then and I have been told July 2025 and most recently September 2025.

I am now at a point were I need some advice on were to go from here as this seems totally unacceptable.

I have already put in a formal complaint but I honestly don't believe this matter is going to be resolved any time soon.

If anyone can provide any advice to what I should do to hurry things up, I would be grateful.

TheSpectator

I suspect it will be bouncing around different people looking for someone to open an enquiry into the Overpayment Relief claim - highly unlikely they are going to process a £25k refund without some questions. What was the nature of the claim? The more 'technical' the less people qualified to deal with it.

If your formal complaint gets you nowhere then MP complaint.

freedomgrey

Thanks for your response.

It is for income tax.

Yes, I suspect they are treading carefully.
However, I have provided documents to support the claim.

I have asked someone to come out to see me too so that they can validate any information they require - of course, this was denied.

Thanks, I will certainly try the MP route if my complaint doesn't get me anywhere.

Nomunnofun1

freedomgrey said:

Thanks for your response.

It is for income tax.

Yes, I suspect they are treading carefully.
However, I have provided documents to support the claim.

I have asked someone to come out to see me too so that they can validate any information they require - of course, this was denied.

Thanks, I will certainly try the MP route if my complaint doesn't get me anywhere.

The only occasions in forty years where I have ever experienced HMRC ‘coming out to see’ someone resulted in very bad news indeed! 

Dazed_and_C0nfused

freedomgrey said:

Thanks for your response.

It is for income tax.

Yes, I suspect they are treading carefully.
However, I have provided documents to support the claim.

I have asked someone to come out to see me too so that they can validate any information they require - of course, this was denied.

Thanks, I will certainly try the MP route if my complaint doesn't get me anywhere.

At least you should be accruing some repayment interest (assuming the original liability was actually paid).

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/self-assessment-manual/sam110086

freedomgrey

Hopefully, no doubt they will try to avoid paying it

Dazed_and_C0nfused

freedomgrey said:

Hopefully, no doubt they will try to avoid paying it

Well as a taxpayer I don't think it is unreasonable for such a large claim to be subject to some level of scrutiny.  

Taking more than 6 months to deal with it is not ideal though.

I presume you met the extremely strict rules on what has to be supplied (published on gov.uk) for an overpayment relief claim?  There has been some discussion on Accounting Web about claims not being accepted because the details provided did not meet HMRC requirements.

mybestattempt

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

freedomgrey said:

Hopefully, no doubt they will try to avoid paying it

Well as a taxpayer I don't think it is unreasonable for such a large claim to be subject to some level of scrutiny.  

Taking more than 6 months to deal with it is not ideal though.

I presume you met the extremely strict rules on what has to be supplied (published on gov.uk) for an overpayment relief claim?  There has been some discussion on Accounting Web about claims not being accepted because the details provided did not meet HMRC requirements.

I agree and would add that even if the overpayment relief claim was 'processed now' HMRC could still 'check later' and open an enquiry into it within 12 months of the date of the claim.

freedomgrey

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

freedomgrey said:

Hopefully, no doubt they will try to avoid paying it

Well as a taxpayer I don't think it is unreasonable for such a large claim to be subject to some level of scrutiny.  

Taking more than 6 months to deal with it is not ideal though.

I presume you met the extremely strict rules on what has to be supplied (published on gov.uk) for an overpayment relief claim?  There has been some discussion on Accounting Web about claims not being accepted because the details provided did not meet HMRC requirements.

Yes all the necessary required details provided including copies of bank statements.

I've even offered for them to attend my premises so that they can see all the details if needed.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

freedomgrey said:

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

freedomgrey said:

Hopefully, no doubt they will try to avoid paying it

Well as a taxpayer I don't think it is unreasonable for such a large claim to be subject to some level of scrutiny.  

Taking more than 6 months to deal with it is not ideal though.

I presume you met the extremely strict rules on what has to be supplied (published on gov.uk) for an overpayment relief claim?  There has been some discussion on Accounting Web about claims not being accepted because the details provided did not meet HMRC requirements.

Yes all the necessary required details provided including copies of bank statements.

I've even offered for them to attend my premises so that they can see all the details if needed.

Copies of bank statement aren't part of the details that are necessary.

Are you certain you have provided all of the information actually required 🤔

What to include

You must include:

• the tax year you’re correcting

• why you think you’ve paid too much or little tax

• how much you think you’ve over or underpaid

• your signature (no one else can sign on your behalf)

If you’re making an overpayment relief claim, you must also include in your letter:

• that you’re making a claim for overpayment relief

• if you’ve previously made an appeal for the same payment

• a signed declaration saying that the details you’ve given are ‘correct and complete to the best of your information and belief’

You also need to keep evidence that you’ve paid tax through Self Assessment for the relevant period as HMRC may ask for this at a later date.

If you do not include all of this information your claim will be rejected.

You can also tell HMRC how you want to be repaid in your letter.

TheSpectator

Perhaps if OP expanded on what exactly the nature of the claim is then some further advice could be given. All we know is that it's a claim for an Income Tax repayment of £25k. Not sure why bank statements would be relevant tbh