Q: I received a letter from HMRC saying I’m owed money. Does that mean I’ve been on the wrong tax code, or is this letter a scam?
A: HMRC has said that it is in the process of sending out four million letters between June and August, telling people they are due a tax refund. These tax calculation letters are known as a P800 form.
HMRC will always send you a letter about tax you’re owed. It will not text, email or call you and use pressure tactics to make you act or hand over personal details. If this happens to you – it is a scam. HMRC usually says it will send you a cheque for the refund, but if it does ask you to reclaim online, make sure you use the correct website address – don’t follow links received in emails or texts.
Most people have straightforward tax affairs and are on the standard tax code: 1257L. However, some employers may have put you on the wrong code due to an admin error, you might have left one job and started a new one in the same month and been paid by both, you might have received Jobseeker’s Allowance – these are all reasons why you might be due a tax refund. You can use an online tax code calculator or speak to us to check you are on the correct tax code.