Can I Check My Tax Code in the HMRC App?

Can I check my tax code in the HMRC app? Yes. You can view your tax code in the app and compare it with your payslip. It is a useful starting point if your take-home pay looks wrong, but you still need to check the income and employment details behind the code.

Information checked on 11 September 2026.

What has HMRC updated this week?

HMRC updated its app guidance on 7 September 2026, adding information about managing personal details, taxes and benefits. This is a guidance update, not an announcement of new tax rates or a new filing deadline. It does not mean every listed feature was introduced this week.

The app is available for iOS and Android. It also lets you find your National Insurance number, view your Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), check amounts owed and set payment reminders.

What should I check against my payslip?

Your employer or pension provider uses the tax code supplied by HMRC to calculate Income Tax deductions. You have a code for each employment or pension, so compare the correct record with the relevant payslip. See HMRC’s tax-code guide.

The Check your Income Tax service, also accessible through the app, covers 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. It lets you review estimated employment and pension income, employer details and changes affecting your code.

Check whether an old job is still listed, whether your estimated annual income looks realistic and whether your pension information is accurate. Out-of-date income details can lead to too much or too little tax being deducted. These checks are particularly useful after a change in your working arrangements.

Important limitation: you cannot use this current-year Income Tax checking service if Self Assessment is the only way you pay Income Tax.

What if my tax code is wrong?

Follow HMRC’s correction process: check your employment, pension, estimated taxable income, company benefits and expenses, then correct anything wrong or missing. Do not simply choose a replacement code yourself.

If a change is needed, HMRC says it will notify you and your employer of the new code within 15 working days. For monthly-paid employees, the revised code should appear on the next or following payslip after it is received. If it does not, ask payroll whether the notice has arrived.

Keep a note of what you changed and retain the relevant payslips. This gives you and your accountant a clear record if further enquiries are needed.

Can I claim a tax refund through the app?

If your P800 tax calculation says you can claim online, HMRC’s refund guidance confirms that you can claim through your Personal Tax Account or the app if you have a UK bank account.

Follow the instructions on your own P800. If it says HMRC will automatically send a cheque, you do not need to make a separate claim. If the calculation looks wrong, query the figures with HMRC rather than assuming the refund is correct. Not everyone who opens the app is entitled to money back.

How can sole traders and landlords use it?

The app’s Self Assessment balance, UTR and payment-reminder functions can help with administration. Checking a balance or setting a reminder does not, by itself, submit a tax return.

For individual taxpayers using the standard 2025/26 deadlines, HMRC must receive a paper return by 31 October 2026; online returns and payment of tax owed are due by 31 January 2027. Different filing deadlines can apply in particular circumstances, so check HMRC’s deadline guidance and any notice you receive.

Keep your bookkeeping, return preparation and payment planning on the same checklist so an app reminder supports the work rather than becoming the whole process.

What should company directors and employers remember?

Separate a director’s personal PAYE position from the company’s obligations. HMRC’s business tax account guidance covers services including VAT, employer PAYE and Corporation Tax. Reviewing your personal code does not complete those company tasks. Agree with your accountant who is handling each return and payment.

What is a sensible next step?

Open the app directly, review the relevant information and list any discrepancies before making changes. Have your latest payslip or P800 available when asking for help.

Be cautious about unexpected refund messages. HMRC’s scam guidance advises against opening links or replying to texts offering a tax refund in exchange for personal or financial details. Check independently through the official app or GOV.UK.

Frequently asked questions

Can I find my tax code without the app?

Yes. It is also available on your payslip, through HMRC’s online service and on a tax-code notice if you receive one.

Can someone paying tax only through Self Assessment check current-year Income Tax?

Not through the current-year Income Tax checking service described above. That restriction is separate from the app’s Self Assessment functions.

Does every P800 refund need an online claim?

No. Follow your letter: some refunds require a claim, while others are issued automatically by cheque.

Does downloading the app change my filing deadline?

No. Your applicable tax-return and payment deadlines still need to be met.

Speak to SKN Chartered Accountants

Need help understanding a tax code, checking a calculation or organising your tax affairs? Contact SKN Chartered Accountants on 0121 551 7626.

Source dates: HMRC app guidance was published on 4 November 2022 and updated on 7 September 2026; business tax account guidance was updated on 10 April 2026; scam guidance was updated on 15 December 2025. Other linked GOV.UK guidance was checked on 11 September 2026; no publication/update date was displayed on those pages.

This article provides general information, not personalised tax advice. Your circumstances may affect the correct treatment. Obtain professional advice before acting.