50% Road Tax Refund Timescale

OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Has anyone received a cheque from the DVLA for their 50% road tax refund lately? If so, how long did it take from posting the V10 form to receiving the refund cheque?

It's now nearly 6 months since I posted mine. Just wondering whether there's still a chance of getting the refund or whether I should give up on ever getting it now.

Thanks

michael57

i dont believe they pay months gone or part months only whats left if its delayed

MW123

@OverlyAnxious

When I got Enhanced Mobility in 2023, I had only just taxed my car for the full year a few weeks earlier.

DVLA took quite a long time to process it, about 15 months in my case, but once they registered the car as tax exempt, they refunded all the unused tax from the exact date the exemption started.

When the cheque finally arrived, I was pleasantly surprised because I had honestly forgotten all about it by then.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1099245#Comment_1099245

Blimey, I thought 5 months was a long wait, let alone 15!

The 50% discount works differently to the 100% discount (as I'm sure you're aware), we are meant to pay for 50% of the tax via the postal form when the tax is due, which is why I expected it to be a reasonably quick process. Obviously I didn't trust them to do it quickly which is why I paid upfront and then requested a refund afterwards but I'm still surprised it's taken so long.

MW123

@OverlyAnxious

My understanding is that DVLA refunds all tend to go through the same central team, whether it’s a standard refund after selling a car or one linked to a disability reduction or exemption.

Because everything is handled in that one place, the timescales can end up being quite slow. You could always give them a call if you would like an update on where your refund has reached in their queue.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1099330#Comment_1099330

When I've sold or SORN'd cars in the past the tax refunds came through quickly. Though I haven't done either of those things in the last 3 years, so it might be slower now.

I can't use phones so won't be getting an update on this. (Also missing out on the WHD as I became eligible again this year but received a letter saying I would need to phone for it). I don't need the money fortunately, but it is frustrating that in this internet age so many things still require verbal communication.

MW123

@OverlyAnxious

I am afraid I don’t know anything about the WHD myself,  I actually had to look up the abbreviation when you mentioned it. It’s not something I’ve ever received, so I’m not able to offer any guidance on how it works in practice.

Regarding the DVLA, if phoning isn’t possible for you, you should still be able to contact them by email with your enquiry. It’s not always the quickest route, but it does at least give you a way to get in touch without needing to use the phone.

Perhaps the links below might be helpful, one gives alternative contact details, and the other lets you request a webchat instead of calling.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla

https://live.dvla-web-chat.service.gov.uk/dvladialogflowmessenger/e4a6af30-0121-4692-a8c8-9e1f1c277d7c?skipchatbot=true

OverlyAnxious

WHD used to be automatically applied to my energy account every year. But they changed the criteria a couple of years ago meaning that I was no longer eligible. Then they changed the criteria again last year, meaning that I became eligible again. But this time I would have to phone up to request it.

As I say, I don't need the money and have no intention of going through the hassle of contact in any form now. What I desperately need is to move to a more suitable property, that's where all my remaining effort will be focussed for the foreseeable.

MW123

@OverlyAnxious

I understand you don’t need the money, but it’s still frustrating when you qualify for something and can’t actually access it. Ofgem do say that suppliers have to make reasonable adjustments for disabled customers, so in theory there should always be an alternative to phoning. It’s a shame they’ve made it so awkward in your case.

Just a thought, do you have anyone who could phone on your behalf to verify things for you, if you ever decided you wanted to pursue it?

I really hope you’re able to find a property that suits your needs soon. Having the right property can make such a big difference to day‑to‑day life.

OverlyAnxious

I do have one relative that can call on my behalf. But they don't understand or accept my conditions or requirements and they have caused a lot of harm to my health and abilities in recent years because of that.