Check if a letter you've received from HMRC is genuine

ClaimingBusiness repayment for Self Assessment

You may get a letter from HMRC asking you to contact us about your repayment claim. We may ask you to send more information to allow us to:

• check your identity
• verify your repayment claim

You must respond to the letter as instructed so we can make any repayments owed to you as soon as possible.

If you need further support or you’re not sure the letter is genuine, you can contact using one of the following:

• telephone number: 0300 200 3310 (this number should be on the letter)

• Income Tax general enquiries

Our customer support team will check your records and confirm that the letter is from HMRC.

Independent research ― understanding business customers’ use of their online tax account

From October 2021 up to and including March 2022, HMRC will work with independent research agency, IFF Research to carry out a study with business customers. This study is to better understand your experiences of using your online tax account.

You may receive a letter from IFF Research and HMRC inviting you to take part in this study. Taking part is voluntary but we encourage you to do so. This will improve services and customer experience.

If you do take part, your answers will be confidential and any information you give will be used for research purposes only.

If you need more information, contact details for both IFF Research and HMRC will be on the letter.

These letters will not ask you for any financial information.

Mid-sized business customer experience survey 2021

From 1 September 2021 to 31 March 2022, HMRC will work with an independent agency called Kantar. This annual survey helps HMRC:

• increase its understanding of mid-sized businesses’ experiences of dealing with HMRC
• assesses the impact of various changes and initiatives, to understand how we can improve services

You may get a letter from Kantar and HMRC telling you about the research and inviting you to take part. If you need more information, contact details for both Kantar and HMRC will be on the letter.

Taking part is voluntary. If you do take part, your answers will be confidential and any information you give will be used for research purposes only.

Overpaid Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants

From 20 April 2022 to 11 May 2022, you may get a letter from HMRC if you claimed the fourth or fifth SEISS grant (or both) and the amount you are entitled to has changed.

The letter will explain that you have been overpaid and will include instructions on how to pay us back.

You must respond to the letter by either:

• repaying the overpaid amount
• contacting us by the date in the letter

You can make a payment via one of the options listed in our guide on how to pay tax penalties and enquiry settlements. We cannot accept payment by any other methods.

If you need further support or you’re not sure the letter is genuine, you can contact us on 0800 024 1222.

Research about employee experience of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

From 11 April 2022 to 31 August 2022, HMRC will work with an independent research company called Ipsos to carry out research with employees. This research will examine the views and experiences of being put on furlough through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), or having colleagues on furlough. It will also examine the wider impacts of the scheme.

You may receive a letter from HMRC and Ipsos inviting you to take part in the research, which will be carried out by telephone, or online. You may receive this letter regardless of whether you were put on furlough through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or not.

Taking part is voluntary. If you do take part, your answers will be confidential and any information you give will be used for research purposes only.

Research about the digitisation of Child Benefit

From 3 March 2022 up to and including 1 June 2022, HMRC will be working with an independent research agency IFF Research to carry out research.

You may receive a letter during this time from IFF research on behalf of HMRC. The letter will invite you to take part in interviews which will be carried out by phone call.

This research is to understand customer readiness for a digital Child Benefit service.

Taking part is voluntary and any information given will be:

• confidential
• used for research purposes only

Research into the impact of cash collection

From December 2021 up to and including April 2022, HMRC will work with independent research agency IFF Research Limited. This research will explore experiences of HMRC’s approach to the collection of additional tax charges raised following an enquiry.

You may receive a letter from IFF Research and HMRC inviting you to take part in this study. Taking part is voluntary but we encourage you to do so. This will improve services and customer experience.

If you do take part, your answers will be confidential and any information you give will be used for research purposes only.

If you need more information, contact details for both IFF Research and HMRC will be on the letter. These letters will not ask you for any financial information.

Research with businesses on VAT submissions

In January 2022, HMRC will work with Kantar to carry out research exploring views on filing VAT returns on time. During this time we may send you a letter inviting you to take part in this research.

We will be holding interviews with VAT businesses. From 1 January up to and including 31 March 2022, Kantar may call you to:

• find out your eligibility
• invite you to an interview

Taking part is voluntary. If you do take part, your answers will be confidential. Any information you provide will be used for research purposes only.

Refund of Income Tax from changes to your Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant

From 11 April 2022 to 31 January 2023, we may write to you if you claimed one or more of the first, second or third SEISS grants and later repaid some, or all, of the grant.

You may be entitled to a refund of Income Tax if you reported the original SEISS grant amount on your 2020 to 2021 tax return, and later made a repayment which reduced the amount of Income Tax you needed to pay.

To receive the refund, you’ll need to update your 2020 to 2021 tax return by 31 January 2023. You can do this on GOV.UK.

If you’re not sure whether the letter is genuine or you want further information, you can contact our Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310.

Other letters you should check

You can also to check letters listed in HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method.