HMRC urges people to claim tax refunds through official website to ensure they receive full payout

dailyrecord.co.uk:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced changes to the way people can use a repayment agent to claim tax refunds to provide greater protection for taxpayers.

HMRC said that businesses specialising in helping people and firms make claims for tax refunds often advertise on social media and tend to operate on a commission-based fee structure.The revenue body said many repayment agents support customers to access tax relief or repayments they may otherwise have been unaware of.

But it has also frequently seen cases where repayment agents have pushed the boundaries of eligibility, exploited customers, or made fraudulent claims.HMRC received more than 2,200 complaints about repayment agents between January 2022 and October 2022, including those relating to the use of assignments, which legally transfer the benefit of the taxpayer's repayments to the agent; taxpayers not being made aware of or fully understanding terms and conditions; and people being unaware that they are dealing with a third party and not HMRC.

If someone believes they are owed a tax rebate, they can claim directly from HMRC via gov.uk and they will receive 100% of the money owed - find out more here.HMRC said it will introduce legislation to change the way repayment agents are paid for their services and better protect customers from the unscrupulous tactics used by some operators.This includes stopping the use of legally binding assignments as part of claiming an income tax repayment, which could only be cancelled if the agent and taxpayer both agreed to do so.This can be challenging for customers who become dissatisfied with their agent, or who simply wish to take over managing their own claim, the revenue body said.Under new arrangements, if a