HMRC has said it is committed to cutting wait times
Some taxpayers are still waiting for HMRC to reimburse money owed to them, with some claiming they have had to take out loans. Repayments that previously arrived within weeks are now stretching to 10 months or beyond, as the tax authority grapples with what industry experts describe as “significant backlogs”.
In certain cases, individuals are left waiting more than 12 months to reclaim overpaid tax and national insurance contributions (NICs). One self-employed builder claimed that he and his wife were forced to cancel their honeymoon whilst pursuing £4,550 of overpaid tax they claimed back last April.
“The last time I contacted HMRC, it said I could be waiting until July 2026,” he told Guardian Money. “When people owe it money, they get fined for late payment, but when it owes money, it can take as long as it likes without penalty.”
Industry professionals say the crisis is widespread. The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has raised concerns that “significant backlogs” are hitting both businesses and ordinary people, with HMRC prioritising newer claims whilst older ones remain unresolved, reports the Mirror.
HMRC’s own service bulletins show that certain employment and pension tax repayment claims dating back to January 2025 remain unprocessed. Lindsey Wicks, a senior technical manager at ICAEW overseeing tax policy, expressed her concerns: “Self-assessment repayments are still being processed for requests made in March 2025. Efforts should be focused on clearing the old backlog, rather than responding to new correspondence.”
HMRC has promised to examine the cases. A spokesperson said: “We receive millions of tax refund claims every year, and the vast majority are paid promptly, but we apologise to those experiencing a delay. “We’re committed to cutting wait times and are investing £500m in digital services to speed up refunds as well as help customers pay the right tax first time so fewer refunds are necessary.”
