How Can I Check if my Tax Return Has Been Processed by HMRC?
How Can I Check If My Tax Return Has Been Processed by HMRC?
Submitted your Self Assessment return and wondering what happens next? Here's how to check whether HMRC has received and processed your tax return, view your tax calculation and check the status of any repayment.
Sign in to your HMRC online account, open Self Assessment and check the relevant tax year. Look for your submitted return, tax calculation and updated account balance to confirm HMRC has processed the return information.
A submission acknowledgement confirms receipt. Your updated Self Assessment account helps confirm processing.
How Can I Check If My Tax Return Has Been Processed by HMRC?
The easiest way to check whether your Self Assessment tax return has been processed by HMRC is to sign in to your HMRC online account and open the Self Assessment section. Check that your submitted return appears for the correct tax year and review your tax calculation and Self Assessment account. If HMRC has updated your account with the tax due or repayment arising from the return, this is a strong indication that the return has been processed.
Open your HMRC online account using your HMRC sign-in details.
Select Self Assessment and choose the tax year you filed.
Confirm that HMRC shows the return you submitted for that year.
Look for your calculation, updated balance and any repayment information.
Has HMRC Received My Tax Return or Actually Processed It?
These are not necessarily the same thing. An online submission acknowledgement confirms that HMRC has received your return, but HMRC may still need to process the information and update your Self Assessment record.
| Status | What it means | What you should check |
|---|---|---|
| Return submitted | Your tax return has been sent electronically. | Keep your submission acknowledgement or reference. |
| Return received | HMRC has received the submission. | Check that the return appears against the correct tax year. |
| Return processed | The return information has been processed and your Self Assessment record updated. | Check your calculation, account balance and liabilities. |
| Repayment pending | A repayment has been created but may still be awaiting approval or payment. | Check the repayment status rather than submitting another request. |
Where Do I Check My Self Assessment Tax Return Status?
Sign in to your HMRC online account and navigate to your Self Assessment information. The exact wording displayed by HMRC can change, but you should look for information relating to your submitted returns, tax calculation, account balance and repayments.
- Check that the correct tax year is displayed.
- Confirm that your submitted return is recorded.
- Review the tax calculation generated from the return.
- Check your Self Assessment balance and amounts becoming due.
- If you are due money back, check your repayment information.
What Happens After You Submit a Tax Return to HMRC?
Filing the return starts a series of steps. Understanding these can help explain why HMRC may have received a return even though your account has not yet fully updated.
Your return is transmitted to HMRC electronically if you file online.
You should receive confirmation of a successful online submission. Keep this as evidence that the return was sent.
The figures are used to update your Self Assessment record, including your liability and any balancing payment or payments on account.
Your account should show the resulting tax position, including tax payable or a credit where applicable.
If the return produces a repayment, it may be subject to HMRC checks before the money is released.
Signs Your Tax Return Has Been Processed
Rather than relying on one message, look at the information HMRC is displaying in your Self Assessment account.
- Your submitted return appears against the correct tax year.
- Your Self Assessment calculation is available.
- Your account shows the liability generated by the return.
- Your balancing payment or payments on account have been updated where applicable.
- A credit or repayment arising from the return is showing on your account.
Does an SA302 Mean My Tax Return Has Been Processed?
An SA302 tax calculation shows the calculation resulting from your Self Assessment return. If the calculation and corresponding Self Assessment information are available for the tax year you submitted, this provides useful evidence that HMRC has recorded and processed the return information.
SA302 calculations are also commonly requested alongside supporting tax information when proving income, for example when applying for a mortgage.
What Does “Repayment Pending” Mean?
If your Self Assessment account shows a repayment as pending, this does not necessarily mean there is a problem with your tax return.
HMRC describes a pending repayment as one that has been created but still needs to be approved and paid. Repayments can also be selected for security or other checks before they are released.
A credit may therefore remain visible on your Self Assessment account while HMRC deals with the repayment.
Tax Return Processing and Tax Refund Processing Are Different
Your return contains the income, gains, allowances and other information used to calculate your Self Assessment liability.
HMRC processes the information and updates your Self Assessment record with the resulting tax position.
Where money is due back, the repayment can go through additional processing and security checks before payment.
Why Is My Tax Return Not Showing as Processed?
There are several possible explanations if you have filed your return but your HMRC account does not yet show the information you expected.
- You saved the return but did not submit it. Check for a successful submission acknowledgement.
- You are checking the wrong tax year. Make sure you are looking at the year covered by the return you filed.
- Your account has not fully updated yet. Receipt and processing are separate stages.
- You filed a paper return. Paper returns require manual handling and may take longer to appear.
- The return requires additional attention. Some returns or repayments may be subject to further HMRC checks.
- You recently amended the return. An amendment may take additional time to be reflected in your account.
Self Assessment Deadlines for the 2025/26 Tax Year
If you are checking a return for the tax year running from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026, the main filing dates are:
| Deadline | Date | What it relates to |
|---|---|---|
| Paper return | 31 October 2026 | Deadline for most paper Self Assessment returns. |
| PAYE collection request | 30 December 2026 | Relevant where eligible taxpayers want HMRC to try to collect a qualifying Self Assessment amount through their PAYE tax code. |
| Online return | 31 January 2027 | Normal online filing deadline for the 2025/26 tax year. |
| Balancing payment | 31 January 2027 | Normal deadline for balancing tax due for 2025/26. |
How Can I Check If HMRC Has Received My Tax Payment?
A submitted tax return and a tax payment are separate transactions. If you have paid your Self Assessment bill, check the payment information in your HMRC online account rather than assuming that filing the return confirms payment.
HMRC advises that electronic or online payments sent within the previous seven days can appear in the Your balance section. Once processed, payments can be viewed under View payments and credits. It can take up to seven days for a payment to appear after it is sent.
Tax Return Status Checklist
If you are unsure whether HMRC has processed your return, check:
- Did you receive a successful submission acknowledgement?
- Are you looking at the correct tax year?
- Does your HMRC account show the submitted return?
- Can you view the resulting Self Assessment calculation?
- Has your account balance or liability updated?
- Are any payments you made showing under payments and credits?
- If you are due money back, what repayment status is displayed?
Let Us Prepare and File Your Tax Return
The Online Accountants can prepare and submit your Self Assessment tax return to HMRC, calculate your tax position and help you understand what you need to pay and when.
View Our Self Assessment Service →Checking Whether HMRC Has Processed Your Tax Return – FAQs
How can I check if my tax return has been processed by HMRC?
Sign in to your HMRC online account, open Self Assessment and select the relevant tax year. Check that the submitted return is recorded and review your tax calculation and account balance. An updated liability or repayment position indicates that HMRC has processed the information from the return.
How do I know if HMRC received my Self Assessment tax return?
When you successfully submit an online Self Assessment return you should receive an on-screen acknowledgement or submission reference. Keep this confirmation as evidence that HMRC received the return.
Does receiving a submission reference mean my return has been processed?
A submission reference confirms receipt of the online submission. Processing is the subsequent stage where HMRC uses the return information to update your Self Assessment record and tax position.
What does repayment pending mean on HMRC?
It generally means that a repayment has been created but has not yet been approved and paid. HMRC may carry out security or other checks before releasing a repayment.
Why is my Self Assessment refund taking longer than expected?
Repayments can take longer where HMRC carries out additional checks, where amounts are due against which the credit can be set, or where further review is required. A delayed repayment does not necessarily mean the underlying return has not been received.
Can I check whether HMRC has received my tax payment?
Yes. Sign in to your HMRC online account and check your Self Assessment balance and the payments and credits section. HMRC advises allowing up to seven days for payments to appear after they are sent.
What should I do if my tax return is not showing?
First check that you actually submitted the return rather than only saving it, confirm that you are viewing the correct tax year and look for your submission acknowledgement. If the return still does not appear after allowing time for HMRC's systems to update, contact HMRC or speak to your accountant.
Can my accountant check whether my tax return has been processed?
An authorised tax agent can access relevant Self Assessment information available to them through HMRC's agent services and can help check your filing, tax calculation and account position.
In Summary
To check whether your tax return has been processed by HMRC, sign in to your HMRC online account and open Self Assessment. First confirm that HMRC has received the return for the correct tax year, then check whether your tax calculation and Self Assessment account have been updated with the resulting tax liability or repayment.
Remember that submitted, received, processed and repaid are different stages. A successful submission reference confirms receipt, while a repayment can remain pending after the return itself has been processed.
If you would prefer an accountant to prepare and submit your return, see our Self Assessment tax return service.
This guide provides general information about UK Self Assessment and should not be treated as advice tailored to your individual circumstances. HMRC online services, terminology and processing procedures can change.