It’s the letter every business owner dreads. You’ve done the work, you’ve suffered the deductions, and you submit your claim for what is rightfully yours. Then, the response arrives from HMRC: “The amount has been restricted to £0.00”.
HMRC often claims they are unable to verify your figures, effectively holding your cash flow hostage until you can prove them wrong. This isn’t just a “system error”—it’s a systemic barrier that leaves many small businesses out of pocket and overwhelmed by red tape.
At Archers & Co, we don’t just “process” paperwork; we advocate for our clients. Take a look at the real-world example in the image above:
- HMRC’s Initial Stance: They restricted a client’s CIS repayment claim to exactly £0.00.
- The Reality: The client was owed significant funds for their 2021/2022 and 2023/2024 claims.
- The Archers & Co Result: Through aggressive verification and refusal to take “no” for an answer, we recovered £52,000 for this client.
Why You Can’t Just “Wait and See”
When HMRC restricts your claim to zero, they put the burden of proof entirely on you. They will demand:
- Copies of every payment and deduction statement.
- Verification against their own internal systems, which are frequently out of sync with reality.
- Detailed evidence for specific tax years that their system has “failed” to recognize.
If you don’t have the technical expertise or the time to challenge these “security checks,” your money stays with them.
Speak to Archers Accountants to get to the bottom of the issue
