Q. I have prepared my 2022 tax return for submission but on reviewing previous returns I found that I made an error when completing the 2018/19 tax return, resulting in an overpayment of tax. Can I get my money back?
A: The self-assessment rules limit the time you have to claim tax relief. As an individual or company the time limit for submitting an amended return is usually one year from the deadline for submitting the return you want to amend. So to amend the 2020/2021 return, for example, you have until 31 January 2023. It is too late for the 2018/19 return to be amended but a claim can be made for ‘overpayment relief.
Except where legislation specifies to the contrary, the general rule is that relief must be claimed within four years from the end of the tax year to which the claim relates for personal taxes, and four years from the end of the accounting period for corporation tax. Therefore so long as this claim for the year 2018/19 reaches HMRC by 5 April 2023 you can claim. The claim must be in writing.
