Tax and compensation?

[baptistsan]

Quick question for you.

Have overpaid my tax for the last 3 years. Refund all now sorted but am I entitled to any compensation?

TIA.

[RichBurley]

Don't know, but I would have thought not. Why did you overpay your tax for 3 years? Won't they argue that it's up to you to ensure that your tax is right. In other words, if you pay too much, you c an have a rebate, but nothing more. Just guessing, though.

[baptistsan]

Had no idea I was over paying. Chance conversation with a colleague made me aware, otherwise would still be happening.
Stupid of me to assume that the tax office would have spotted it and corrected it.

[Zen.]

They will pay you interest http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/interest-repayments.h...

[baptistsan]

Indeed they did. All of £18!

[Eric Mc]

Yes, the only "compensation" is the interest or "repayment supplement".

The Revenue will collect tax based on information supplied by you or by your employer. If they have been given the wrong or incomplete information, the tax calculated will be wrong.
By and large they get it essentially correct, most of the time (there 28 million tax payers in the country) but it pays for all tax payers to maintain an interest in their own tax affairs and at leasst obtain a basic knowledge of how the system works.

[baptistsan]

Indeed. Didn't occur to me at the time that I might be paying the wrong tax. Lesson learned.