Tax refunds

Why might I have paid too much tax?

⚠️ Please note that sometimes links from this website will go directly to our main Low Incomes Tax Reform Group’s (LITRG) website.

As a student it is likely that as well as being busy with your studies you are juggling working part-time, whether that is in one or more jobs or maybe having different jobs during the vacations.

It is often the case that students who are working end up with complicated tax affairs. This can be brought about by changing jobs regularly and possibly working in more than one part-time job at a time. Sometimes this results in your tax affairs not being as up to date with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) as they should be, which can then lead to employers using incorrect Pay As You Earn codes on your payslips and as a consequence you could end up paying too much tax.

If you think you may have overpaid your tax then you will want to reclaim the overpayment as soon as possible, and by the cheapest method possible – by contacting HMRC yourself. Make sure they have your correct address or the refund might be sent to the wrong place.

What information and help can I find to claim a tax refund?

On our main LITRG website, we provide information and help to encourage you to try and claim a tax refund yourself. We provide information on the following:

• How do I work out if I have paid too much tax? – The first part of the process is to understand whether you have overpaid tax and if you are due a tax refund.
• How do I claim tax back? – This page explains about the time limits for claiming a tax refund from HMRC.

The process to claim a tax refund varies depending on the type of income on which you have overpaid tax and whether or not you complete a Self Assessment tax return. Our LITRG website covers:

• How do I claim back tax I have overpaid through PAYE on wages or pensions?
• How do I claim back tax if I complete a tax return?
• How do I claim back tax on savings income?
• How do I claim back tax on a payment protection insurance (PPI) pay-out?

If you are thinking of using a tax refund company to help submit your tax repayment claim, then we explain what you should consider when working out whether it is the best option for you.

Our factsheet on Obtaining a tax refund provides a summary of how you can work out if you are due a refund and how you can reclaim any overpaid tax.