If you work a temporary or summer job, you may sometimes have too much Income Tax deducted through PAYE. This commonly happens when HMRC initially assumes you'll continue earning at the same rate for the rest of the tax year or when you're placed on an emergency tax code.
First, check whether you've overpaid
For 2026/27, the standard Personal Allowance is £12,570. If your total taxable income for the year ends up below this, you will normally have no Income Tax to pay overall, although National Insurance works differently.
Keep your payslips and P45, as these show how much you earned and how much tax was deducted.
If you're still working
Check your tax code on your payslip and through your HMRC online account. If HMRC corrects an incorrect tax code during the tax year, overpaid tax can often be refunded automatically through your future wages.
If your summer job has finished
If you've stopped working and returned to full-time study, you may be able to claim a refund during the current tax year using HMRC's P50 service, rather than waiting until the end of the tax year.
If the tax year has already ended
HMRC reviews PAYE records after the tax year finishes on 5 April. If you've paid too much, you may receive a P800 tax calculation explaining the refund and how to claim it. HMRC normally carries out these calculations between June and November.
One thing to avoid
You do not need to pay a tax-refund company to do this for you. You can check and claim directly through HMRC for free.
If you've finished a summer job and notice Income Tax on your final payslip, don't assume the money is gone. Check your total earnings and tax paid — you may be entitled to get some or all of it back.
