Over the past couple of years i've had a few jobs as an employee and this year (Feb 2011) i went self employed. I completed my first self assessment in October.
At the beginning of November i received a tax calculation, based on my SA, stating i'd paid too much tax (presumably due to having several jobs in fairly quick succession over the past couple of tax years) and they noted the figure they had calculated that i was owed back as a refund. So, i called the number on the letter to find out how to claim that refund - they told me they were unable to issue the refund via this phone call (they said they sometimes could but not in my case) and referred it back to the department that could do so - at this time there is about a 3 week timescale on this department dealing with the email requests from the 'phone operators. This time isn't quite up yet but i was wondering if anyone could help me out with just a little advice in the mean time ;
(a) Is it normal practice for the payment be referred back to another department or does this suggest that there is a problem with the refund?
(b) It is common for the figure that they calculate on the tax calculation letter to be wrong? I only ask because the 'phone operators keep saying the phrase 'if there is a problem with your refund' - which isn't very reassuring for me - and they seemed to be a bit cagey when i ask them if such problems with refunds is common.
It's a nice amount of money if i get it but i don't want to get my hopes up if there's a chance i may not.Sorry if i seem a little dim but having always relied on employers to deal with my tax i'm just curious.
Thanking you all in advance!
