If you stop working in the middle of a tax year, you might be able to claim income tax back from HMRC.

How can I claim back income tax if I leave work?

You can make a claim for income tax you have paid either online though a Government Gateway account, or using a P50 form. The form is specific to people who have stopped working in the middle of a tax year. A tax year runs from 6th April to 5th April in the following year.

You might have stopped working because you have been made redundant, decided to return to full-time education, or have retired.

If you need to reclaim tax because you’re leaving the UK, you can complete a P85 form instead.

Why do I need to claim?

Most people have straightforward tax affairs and their employer deducts the correct amount of tax through PAYE. However, some people may have paid too much tax during the year and others may not have paid enough tax.

Usually this is corrected with an adjustment at year-end, or through the following year’s tax code. If you leave work before that can happen then you may be able to make a claim for the repayment of tax. This might also happen if you retire from employment during the year, before starting to receive a pension.

What if I have started work elsewhere?

You will only need to claim if you are out of work for more than 4 weeks and have not returned to work. You can also claim if you retire, or if you have returned to full-time study.

If you are receiving taxable benefits then you will not be able to claim the tax back.

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