General Tax Info What is a tax refund? Who can make a Tax Refund claim? How much can I claim back? When can I claim my tax back? How many years can I claim tax back for? Why would I have overpaid tax? What do I need to claim tax back? How do I get my refund? What is the financial year? Tax Related Documentation What is a CIS Tax Refund? What is a P45 Document? What is a P60 Document? What if I've lost my P45 or P60? What is a P11D Tax Codes and Emergency Tax? Most Popular Tax Questions Do I need a National Insurance Number (NINO)? How long does it take to get tax back? What is a self-assessment Tax Return? Who needs to complete a Self Assessment Tax Return? What if I have received benefits from my employer? Can I claim my tax back when I am outside the country? What are our fees?

FAQ - Frequently Asked Tax Questions - Emergency tax

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15. Tax Codes and Emergency Tax?

Your tax code relates to the tax free allowance that has been allocated to you. For the 08/09 tax year the tax code is 603L which means you have a tax free allowance of £6,035.

If your tax code has any of "X", "M1" or "W1", then your tax is being calculated on your monthly or weekly earnings as opposed to an annual salary basis.

Another tax code is "BR", this indicates that no tax free allowance has been given to you and the basic rate tax is being charged.

These are forms of emergency tax which are usually charged if your employer is not sure how much you should be taxed. Tax codes are shown on payslips, P45's and P60's.