Delays for P55 tax refund from HMRC

Sunshine_Girl21

Hello

I took a flexible drawdown pension payment  end of June and submitted a P55 first week of July, by post. HMRC's Government Gateway was saying to expect a response within 30 days. To date I have heard nothing regarding a possible refund and when I check for an update it has each time pushed the expected due date back. It is now showing 16 September 2025 as the date I should of heard and has said this for over a week. Is anyone else having the same experience, I have tried calling but was unable to get through after holding for 45 minutes so will have to try again.

The HMRC online digital assistant today is saying "You should receive a reply by 7 April 2026" so I am kind of wondering why HMRC are not saying on their online accounts that people should not bother completing a P55 but just wait until the new tax year arrives and they will then sort it out...

Feeling some what frustrated as was hoping to have refund to help with Christmas expenses not Easter!

Green_hopeful

Its very frustrating. You might find better advice if you get a human on the chat. I try shortly after they open and keep typing adviser until they put me through to a human. I thought i would be ok this year because I took my second years payment but no they took £4000 tax. When i did mine it said two months. 

Sunshine_Girl21

Many thanks Green_hopeful, I haven't managed to be put through to an advisor so will give this a try. 

molerat

Green_hopeful said:

Its very frustrating. You might find better advice if you get a human on the chat. I try shortly after they open and keep typing adviser until they put me through to a human. I thought i would be ok this year because I took my second years payment but no they took £4000 tax. When i did mine it said two months. 

That would likely be down to you not understanding how the PAYE system works.  If a code has been issued you only get 1/12th of that per month cumulative so you generally need to take a payment in M12, March, to get the tax right.  Taking it all early in the year results in "too much" tax being taken.

Sunshine_Girl21

molerat that's useful to know, thank you

vincit_veritas

I submitted an online P55 on August 27th and confirmation email from HMRC said "You’ll normally receive a response within 30 days." ie by September 26th.  Having heard nothing, I went on their site on September 30th.  They are now telling me I can expect a reply by November 4th!  Note "reply", not "refund" - several thousand ££ - and that they were "currently processing requests received on 1 August 2025".  They were never going to meet their 30 day target.  Their original email should have given a realistic estimate.

update October 2nd:  The HMRC site now tells me they are "currently processing requests received on 6 August" and that I can expect a reply by November 6th.....

dunstonh

I didnt spot this until now as its posted in the wrong section.

Online P55s were taking 3 weeks in May but all the ones I have done since July have yet to be paid.    

HMRC slowing down again over the summer period.....

leosayer

vincit_veritas said:

I submitted an online P55 on August 27th and confirmation email from HMRC said "You’ll normally receive a response within 30 days." ie by September 26th.  Having heard nothing, I went on their site on September 30th.  They are now telling me I can expect a reply by November 4th!  Note "reply", not "refund" - several thousand ££ - and that they were "currently processing requests received on 1 August 2025".  They were never going to meet their 30 day target.  Their original email should have given a realistic estimate.

update October 2nd:  The HMRC site now tells me they are "currently processing requests received on 6 August" and that I can expect a reply by November 6th.....

My wife also submitted her P55 online on 27th August and got the same email however we can't find anything on the website telling us when to expect a reply? 

Where on the websiote can this be found?

Dazed_and_C0nfused

leosayer said:

vincit_veritas said:

I submitted an online P55 on August 27th and confirmation email from HMRC said "You’ll normally receive a response within 30 days." ie by September 26th.  Having heard nothing, I went on their site on September 30th.  They are now telling me I can expect a reply by November 4th!  Note "reply", not "refund" - several thousand ££ - and that they were "currently processing requests received on 1 August 2025".  They were never going to meet their 30 day target.  Their original email should have given a realistic estimate.

update October 2nd:  The HMRC site now tells me they are "currently processing requests received on 6 August" and that I can expect a reply by November 6th.....

My wife also submitted her P55 online on 27th August and got the same email however we can't find anything on the website telling us when to expect a reply? 

Where on the websiote can this be found?

Isn't it available inside her Personal Tax Account?

And there's this on gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-when-you-can-expect-a-reply-from-hmrc

sheramber

HMRC has had industrial action ongoing since November 24 until June  resulting  in a large back log of work.

There has also been the main holiday season.

Fishingtime55

Hi , I put a claim in with a p55 back in June ,it is now showing completed in the form tracker but still heard nothing ,4 months now .

you are chased to save for retirement but they don’t seem so quick to give back!