The P50 form is used to claim back income tax by someone who has recently stopped working, and isn’t receiving benefits, a pension, or in a new job. It’s also possible to make a claim online. You’ll need to set up a Government Gateway account if you don’t already have one.

When do I need to include on the form?

The P50 form asks for your personal information, as well as about your most recent employment. You’ll also need to provide your NI number.

Why do I need to fill in the form?

Because of the way that PAYE deductions are made, you might be due a tax repayment if you stop working during a tax year. A tax year starts on 6th April one year and runs to 5th April the next year.

There are lots of reasons that you might have stop working during a tax year, such as redundancy, retirement, or a return to education.

When should I complete a P50?

You can use the form to make a claim if you have been unemployed for four weeks or more. If you are still looking for work and are not claiming any benefits you can submit a P50. You can also make a claim if you have retired or gone into full-time education.

What happens after I submit my P50?

HMRC can take up to 14 days to process a claim. Once it has been processed you will either receive a payment by cheque or bank transfer, or HMRC will write to you and explain why the claim has been rejected.

Want to learn more?

Subscribe to our newsletter to get accounting tips like this right to your inbox

About The Author

Christopher Jones

Forensics graduate-turned copywriter and blogger. I love turning complex topics into easy to understand, yet engaging pieces of content.

More posts by this author