HMRC's Slow Payday: A Refund That Could Take Three Times Longer than Four Weeks in the Old Days
A taxpayer from Oxfordshire has been left waiting for three times longer than previously expected for a refund of £2,200 due to overpayments on national insurance. The HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) customer was informed that they owed the money since Covid-19 started and were told it could take 33 weeks to receive their payment.
The delay is not new to this taxpayer - in May, HMRC took more than four months to process some tax and NI refunds that used to be paid out within four weeks. The agency cited recruitment of hundreds of extra staff as the cause of delays, claiming they were working to reduce backlogs.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the customer's refund arrived just seven days after initial contact with HMRC. When asked if 33-week wait is now the new normal, a spokesperson for the agency replied that while demand has increased, hundreds more staff are being hired to tackle the backlog.
It remains to be seen how long it will take for this taxpayer to receive their money, but one thing is certain - three times longer than previously anticipated is an eternity for those waiting on a refund.
A taxpayer from Oxfordshire has been left waiting for three times longer than previously expected for a refund of £2,200 due to overpayments on national insurance. The HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) customer was informed that they owed the money since Covid-19 started and were told it could take 33 weeks to receive their payment.
The delay is not new to this taxpayer - in May, HMRC took more than four months to process some tax and NI refunds that used to be paid out within four weeks. The agency cited recruitment of hundreds of extra staff as the cause of delays, claiming they were working to reduce backlogs.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the customer's refund arrived just seven days after initial contact with HMRC. When asked if 33-week wait is now the new normal, a spokesperson for the agency replied that while demand has increased, hundreds more staff are being hired to tackle the backlog.
It remains to be seen how long it will take for this taxpayer to receive their money, but one thing is certain - three times longer than previously anticipated is an eternity for those waiting on a refund.
like I'm not surprised tho... HMRC's been having issues with delays 4eva 
& it's just getting worse rn 
. they're trying to say they're hiring more staff, but what's taking soooo long?! 
33 weeks is literally ages for a refund! 
. I'm all for people trying to tackle the backlog, but like, can't they just speed up the process or something? 
. Recruitment of extra staff? That's just a nice way of saying they're still struggling with the backlog 
. And what's with the delay being justified as "new normal"? Did they expect us to just sit back and enjoy the wait? Newsflash: delays are not entertainment, HMRC 
. Three times longer than expected is just plain cruel 
. Can't they just sort it out already?
. I mean, who expects to wait three times longer than before just because they overpaid some national insurance? It's like, come on guys, you should be processing these refunds way faster! 
It's not like this is the first time delays have happened – I remember reading about it just last month. The lack of communication and transparency from HMRC can be super frustrating for taxpayers like this guy 
.
It's not like we're asking for much, just our money back on time 
. I'm all for good customer service, but come on! Can't they just get it together? 
.
. I just hope they get their act together soon and can start paying people out on time. It's just common sense, right? 
it's not just about the money, it's about having your basics covered 
and being able to breathe easy again 
what's going on with HMRC? I mean, I've heard of delays before, but 33 weeks?! That's like, forever! 
. And now, with all these new staff, I'm surprised it's not taking even longer! 
But honestly, £2,200 is a pretty penny, and waiting that long must be stressing out the poor taxpayer 
. and what's with the inconsistency? one person gets their refund in a week, but others are stuck for months?! 
to represent all the people who are stressing about their delayed refunds. It's crazy that overpayments can cause such delays! I mean, think about it, £2,200 is a pretty big chunk of change.
i hope this taxpayer gets their refund soon