NOT a scam: HMRC to write to 1 million over £70 refund

This is something a little different for us at The Scam Hound - we're letting you know about letters which will be sent by HM Revenue and Customs to one million low earners who are eligibile for top-up payments.

The BBC and Money Saving Expert report that the letter will be sent to mostly women, and will be regarding a payment of what will be around £70, given to those who have missed out on money due to the way the pension which they pay into is administered.

Low earners who take home between £10,000 and £12,750 in net pay missed out on a 20% tax relief because they do not earn enough to pay tax. To fix this, the government is issuing automatic top-up payments to match the relief that others would have received, which works out to around £70.

The letters from HMRC will arrive between late 2026 and early 2027, and recipients will need to give HMRC their bank details for the payment, which will be made directly.

You can see how this may raise a red flag or two - it looks and smells like a scam, but it isn't.

HMRC say it will not call, text, or email regarding this payment and if you do get contacted in this way about it, then it's a scam - it also says it will never ask you to transfer money or pay via gift or payment cards, or ask for PIN codes or passwords. Confusingly, HMRC will contact people via text, WhatsApp and phone for other matters, and offer guidance about they way they make contact on its website.

HMRC will also be running an awareness campaign regarding the letters and payments via social media and other channels.