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UK taxpayers could be owed around £855 by HMRC - and have been urged to check if they're eligible before a refund deadline. Tax is usually deducted from people's wages and pensions as part of the pay-as-you-go (PAYE) system, but occasional errors can see either too much or too little removed.

HMRC estimates that around 730,000 tax refunds went unclaimed last year, averaging £855 per person from a £624 million pot. Taxpayers must make a claim under four years after the end of the relevant tax year to receive a refund. Adelle Greenwood, tax manager at the Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), said: "With more than 700,000 people missing out on a total of £624 million in tax refunds last year, we'd encourage all taxpayers to check whether they are owed money from HMRC."

She added: "To do this, taxpayers will need to check their P800 calculation is accurate and contains all relevant data.

"You will need your P800 reference number from your most recent tax calculation and your national insurance number to submit a claim.

"The P800 reconciliation occurs after the end of the tax year once the payroll is finalised. While employers cannot claim P800 refunds on behalf of employees, HMRC recently asked them to encourage their employees to check whether they are due a refund and submit a claim if so."

Repayments can be most easily claimed through the HMRC app or via the bank transfer service on the HMRC website.

Online claims are processed within five working days, while cheque payments can take up to six weeks to clear.

Overpayments are usually linked to payroll errors or changes in individual circumstances, according to the ICAEW.

They could also be due to incorrect or outdated tax codes or the taxpayer not being allocated the full personal allowance for the year.