Taxpayers Face Unbearable Delays as HMRC Fails to Process Refunds in Record Time
A staggering number of individuals and businesses are being left to wait for over a year for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to process refunds on overpaid tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The delays, which have been attributed to significant backlogs, are leaving those affected without the financial support they need.
In some cases, what was once a matter of weeks has turned into months, with some taxpayers being told it could take as long as 10 months for their refunds to be processed. For many, this delay is having a devastating impact on their finances and overall well-being.
One such taxpayer, Simon Hughes, a self-employed construction worker, is still waiting for a refund of £4,550 that he claimed in April last year. Despite contacting HMRC multiple times, he was told it would take until July 2026 to process his claim, with no indication of when the money will finally be received.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has warned that these delays are having a negative impact on businesses and individuals alike. "Significant backlogs" are causing frustration among taxpayers, who are being left to wait while older claims are pushed to the back of the queue.
HMRC's own data reveals that there are still millions of tax refund claims waiting to be processed, with some dating back as far as January 2025. This is despite the government's promise to cut wait times and invest £500m in digital services to speed up refunds.
But what about those who have already been told their refunds will take a long time to process? For many, including British pensioner Jill Eden, who has been waiting for over two years for a refund of £48,000, the delay is having a profound impact on her finances. Ms Eden was forced to borrow money while waiting for her rebate, and is now worried that she will not receive it until after she passes away.
Other taxpayers are also experiencing delays in receiving their refunds. University professor Linda Ashcombe, who holds two jobs, has been waiting over 15 months for a refund of £1,000 since submitting her claim in April last year. Despite repeated calls to the HMRC helpline, Ms Ashcombe has received no explanation for the delay or any indication of when the money will finally be received.
It's a stark contrast to what was once expected from HMRC: quick and efficient refunds. However, it seems that the organization is only willing to return interest on overpaid taxes at a rate of 1% below the Bank of England base rate, leaving many taxpayers feeling like they are being ripped off by their own government.
As one taxpayer put it, "What the hell is going on? It's unbelievable that we have to wait this long for something as simple as our money back." The delays and frustration caused by HMRC's slow processing times highlight a pressing need for reform and greater transparency in the tax refund process.
A staggering number of individuals and businesses are being left to wait for over a year for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to process refunds on overpaid tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs). The delays, which have been attributed to significant backlogs, are leaving those affected without the financial support they need.
In some cases, what was once a matter of weeks has turned into months, with some taxpayers being told it could take as long as 10 months for their refunds to be processed. For many, this delay is having a devastating impact on their finances and overall well-being.
One such taxpayer, Simon Hughes, a self-employed construction worker, is still waiting for a refund of £4,550 that he claimed in April last year. Despite contacting HMRC multiple times, he was told it would take until July 2026 to process his claim, with no indication of when the money will finally be received.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) has warned that these delays are having a negative impact on businesses and individuals alike. "Significant backlogs" are causing frustration among taxpayers, who are being left to wait while older claims are pushed to the back of the queue.
HMRC's own data reveals that there are still millions of tax refund claims waiting to be processed, with some dating back as far as January 2025. This is despite the government's promise to cut wait times and invest £500m in digital services to speed up refunds.
But what about those who have already been told their refunds will take a long time to process? For many, including British pensioner Jill Eden, who has been waiting for over two years for a refund of £48,000, the delay is having a profound impact on her finances. Ms Eden was forced to borrow money while waiting for her rebate, and is now worried that she will not receive it until after she passes away.
Other taxpayers are also experiencing delays in receiving their refunds. University professor Linda Ashcombe, who holds two jobs, has been waiting over 15 months for a refund of £1,000 since submitting her claim in April last year. Despite repeated calls to the HMRC helpline, Ms Ashcombe has received no explanation for the delay or any indication of when the money will finally be received.
It's a stark contrast to what was once expected from HMRC: quick and efficient refunds. However, it seems that the organization is only willing to return interest on overpaid taxes at a rate of 1% below the Bank of England base rate, leaving many taxpayers feeling like they are being ripped off by their own government.
As one taxpayer put it, "What the hell is going on? It's unbelievable that we have to wait this long for something as simple as our money back." The delays and frustration caused by HMRC's slow processing times highlight a pressing need for reform and greater transparency in the tax refund process.
I feel so sorry for all these people waiting over a year for their refunds! It's just not right. A 10-month wait is unacceptable. They're having to live without that money, and it's affecting their finances and wellbeing. 
What's going on with HMRC? They used to be efficient, but now it seems like they're falling behind. We need some serious reforms here! 
This is just ridiculous! 10 months?! That's longer than some people've been waiting to get their Netflix password reset 
. I mean, what even is going on at HMRC? They're supposed to be processing refunds, not creating a new form of tax delay drama 
. And £4,550?! Simon Hughes has been waiting almost a year for that! It's like they're treating us like their personal ATM machine 
.
. 1% below the Bank of England base rate? That's just a nice way of saying "we're not really going to give you your money back, but hey, we'll give it to you slowly". It's like they're trying to make our tax refunds into some kind of cruel joke 
.
. Until then, I'll just be over here waiting patiently (not really) for my own refund to kick in 
. i mean i know its not just me but like come on 
. i got my tax refund in like 2 weeks last year and now im still waiting for mine 
. what r they even doin back there at hmrc? 
. dont get me wrong, i no u need to sort out the backlog but cant they just prioritize it or somethin? 
One year of waiting for £4,550? That's mental! 
I feel for Simon Hughes, he's been patient enough already, now just give him his money back 
. 10 months? That's ages in tax-time 
.
It's not just individuals who are suffering, businesses are too 
. And the British pensioner, Jill Eden, is worried about dying before she gets her refund 
.
but how can that happen if HMRC can't even get their act together? 
and it's not just the money they're missing out on, it's the stress and anxiety too 
. i mean im not one to complain but come on hmrc can you get your act together? 