A MILLION people could be missing out on up to £473 free cash by not claiming a tax rebate.
A tax rebate is a refund if you have paid too much income tax.
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A quick check could help you claim £473 free cash Credit: Alamy
You may be eligible for a rebate if you have paid too much tax on your income, savings or investments during the previous tax year, which ends in April.
It usually happens if your tax code is incorrect, you changed jobs, you only worked for part of the year or you paid too much tax on interest you earned on your savings.
Rebates are usually issued automatically but you can claim one if you think you’ve overpaid tax.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has written to people who are owed cash to urge them to claim.
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How you can claim a tax rebate depends on if you are employed or self-employed.
Workers who are self-employed or have other income may be able to claim a tax rebate through a Self Assessment tax return.
To check how you need to claim visit: gov.uk/claim-tax-refund.
Always claim directly from HMRC to make sure you can keep all of the money you are owed.
Don’t get caught out by online adverts from tax refund companies who say they will claim for you.
These companies usually charge you a commission, which means you won’t be able to keep all of the cash you are owed.
Meanwhile, if you hand over your personal information then these companies could make an invalid claim on your behalf.
You may have to pay back the full value of the invalid claim and any commission the agent has taken.
Meanwhile, we’ve rounded up the tax codes that reveal if you’re owed cash.
How do I check my tax code?
YOU can check your tax code on your personal tax account online, on any payslips or on the HMRC app.
To log in, visit http://www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account.
If you have one, you can also check it on a “Tax Code Notice” letter from HMRC.
Bear in mind that you might need your Government Gateway ID and password to hand to log in.
But if you don’t have this you can use your National Insurance number or postcode and two of the following:
A valid UK passport
A UK photocard driving licence issued by the DVLA (or DVA in Northern Ireland)
A payslip from the last three months or a P60 from your employer for the last tax year
Details of a tax credit claim if you have made one
Details from a self assessment tax return (in the last two years) if you made one
Information held on your credit record if you have one (such as loans, credit cards or mortgages)
