p85 tax refund calculator

What is a P85 tax refund?

A P85 claim is used when you leave the UK and think you may have paid too much tax through PAYE. Many people overpay because payroll systems often assume you will continue earning for the full tax year, even if you stop working in the UK part way through. If you are not returning to UK work in that tax year, you may be due money back.

In plain terms, your tax should be based on your actual taxable income for the year, not what a payroll system predicted at the time deductions were made. That gap is where a refund can appear.

Who should use this calculator?

This calculator is useful if you:

• Left the UK during the tax year and stopped UK employment.
• Had PAYE deductions and want a quick estimate before filing.
• Want to compare tax paid versus likely annual liability.
• Need a planning figure while waiting for HMRC processing.

It is especially helpful for temporary workers, professionals on fixed-term contracts, and people relocating permanently or for an extended period.

How the calculator estimates your refund

1) Combine your income

We add your employment income and any other taxable UK income entered. This gives a rough total used for the annual tax calculation.

2) Adjust for eligible pension input

If you enter gross pension contributions not already handled via payroll, we deduct them from adjusted net income. This can preserve more personal allowance in some cases.

3) Apply personal allowance and tax bands

The calculator applies a standard personal allowance and tapers it if adjusted net income exceeds £100,000. Remaining taxable income is split through basic, higher, and additional rates to estimate tax due.

4) Compare with tax already paid

We subtract estimated annual tax from the PAYE tax you already paid:

• If paid tax is higher than estimated tax due, you may have a refund.
• If paid tax is lower than estimated tax due, you may owe additional tax.

Documents to prepare before submitting P85

• P45 from your employer (if you have it).
• Final payslips showing tax to date.
• National Insurance number.
• Date of departure and forwarding address.
• Bank details for repayment where applicable.

Why your real HMRC result may be different

HMRC can produce a different figure from online tools for perfectly valid reasons. Some common causes:

• Split-year treatment and statutory residence outcomes.
• Benefits in kind, untaxed interest, or other income not included.
• Marriage allowance transfers or code adjustments.
• Earlier year underpayments collected via tax code.
• Employer payroll corrections submitted after you leave.

Practical tips to speed up your refund

• Use figures from final payslips and P45, not rough guesses.
• Double-check your departure date and overseas address.
• Keep copies of everything submitted to HMRC.
• Respond quickly to any HMRC follow-up questions.

Final note

This p85 tax refund calculator is designed for fast planning and confidence checking. It helps you understand the shape of your claim before filing, but HMRC remains the final authority on repayment. If your tax affairs include multiple employments, overseas income interactions, or complex residency details, consider professional advice.