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P800 Refund

Independent UK guidance for P800 refunds and HMRC letters.

Official HMRC links matter. This site explains the process in plain English and points readers towards official GOV.UK routes.

Core guide

P800 Refund: What Your Letter Means & What to Do Next (2025/26)

Independent UK guidance for the 2025/26 tax year. This page explains what your P800 letter means and helps you decide the right next step. We are not affiliated with HMRC or GOV.UK.

Received a P800 letter from HMRC and not sure what to do? This page explains what the calculation means, whether you are owed a refund or owe tax, and which step to take next — depending on your situation.

If you already know you are due a refund and want to claim now, go straight to the online claim guide. If you are still unsure what a P800 is, start with What Is a P800?.

A P800 is a tax calculation — it tells you if you overpaid or underpaid, but it is not a payment itself.
Check whether your letter shows a refund (overpayment) or tax owed (underpayment) before doing anything else.
Only claim through GOV.UK directly — never through links in texts or emails.

James Wells

Editor and fact-checker

Edited & fact-checked against official HMRC / GOV.UK guidance

Read our editorial policy

How to read your P800 letter

A P800 letter shows your tax position for a specific tax year. The key thing to check first is whether it says you have overpaid or underpaid. This decides your next step.

  • Overpayment — you paid more tax than you owed. The letter should show a refund amount. This means you may be able to claim money back.
  • Underpayment — you paid less tax than you owed. The letter shows how much you still owe. HMRC usually collects this through your tax code, but in some cases you may need to pay directly.
  • Check the tax year shown on the letter. If it is the wrong year or you do not recognise the employer or income source, contact HMRC before doing anything else.
  • The letter may also show a "code change" — this means HMRC is adjusting your tax code for the current year to recover the underpayment automatically. You may not need to take any action.

What the refund amount means for your next step

The size of the overpayment and how HMRC handles it both affect what happens next. Not every overpayment requires you to claim manually.

  • Automatic refund (limited cases only) — since 31 May 2024, HMRC no longer sends automatic refund cheques in most cases. If your letter says a cheque will be sent automatically, it usually arrives within 14 days. Most people now need to claim themselves.
  • Claim required (most cases) — use the official GOV.UK route to claim online (5 working days) or contact HMRC by phone to request a cheque (up to 6 weeks).
  • No refund shown — if the letter only mentions a code change or says "no action needed", there may be no refund to claim. The adjustment happens through your PAYE tax code.
  • If the amount looks wrong or you do not understand why you overpaid, do not claim yet. Contact HMRC first through the Income Tax helpline.

Where to go next

Return to the main guideGet the top-level overview of the site and the safest place to start.What is a P800?Start here if you mainly want a definition of the tax calculation itself.How to claim onlineMove to the step-by-step guide if your calculation says you can claim digitally.Verify the official GOV.UK routeCheck the genuine GOV.UK path and avoid scam pages before you enter any details.When P800 letters are usually sentCheck typical HMRC timing if you are still waiting for a letter or repayment.Read the site disclaimerSee exactly what this independent guide does and does not do.

Sources

These pages are based on current official guidance and should be checked again if HMRC or GOV.UK updates the process.

GOV.UK: If your tax calculation letter (P800) says you are due a refundhttps://www.gov.uk/p800refundUsed for official refund routes, automatic repayments and current repayment instructions.GOV.UK: Claim a refund for overpaid taxhttps://www.gov.uk/p800/refundUsed as the official service route linked from this guide.

Common questions

Do I need to use a link from a text or email to claim my refund?

No. If your letter shows a refund, you claim through the official GOV.UK route directly. HMRC does not ask you to claim by clicking a link sent in a message.

Why might HMRC say I overpaid tax?

It can happen because of tax code changes, payroll timing, job changes, multiple income sources or updates made after the tax year ended. If the calculation shows a refund, move next to the online claim guide or the official route checker rather than guessing.

Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Reviewed by James Wells