Personal tax accounts make refunds easier

The new online personal tax account means people can reclaim tax they are owed by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) directly without having to wait for a cheque to arrive through the post.  

Customers who use their Personal Tax Account will have access to the online tax refund service. Overpaid tax will simply be returned directly to their bank accounts within three to five days – an innovation HMRC says is a much better deal for taxpayers. The new service is intended to put customers in control of their tax affairs and allows them to claim any money owed to them immediately. They can claim at a time that suits them, securely, from a device of their choice. Waiting for the traditional cheque in the post would typically take up to two weeks to be issued, banked and cleared.

This online refund service is just one of many that customers can access through their Personal Tax Account. There are 34 services that are now be available online, which would previously have required a phone call. Some of the services included allow you to:

• View and update personal details.
• See how your tax is calculated.
• See the progress of forms you’ve sent HMRC.
• Check the expected level of your state pension.
• Find out about Marriage Allowance entitlement and claim online.
• See tax credits payments and report changes in circumstances.

HMRC is gradually moving with the times as increasing numbers of people use mobile technology to access financial services. If you need any help with which services would be most useful for you, please get in touch.