Six million people who overpaid on their tax will start to get rebates from HM Revenue and Customs this weekend.
These lucky ducks can expect repayment cheques averaging £400 each as HMRC settles anomalies dating back as far as 2001.
However another 1.2 million people were found to have been undercharged and will have to fork out around £600 each to settle old tax bills.
Those affected will be given the option of having their tax code adjusted so they can pay back the money in instalments.
Most of the backlog of outstanding queries were uncovered by a new computer system installed date back many years.
The Tories, natch, are blaming the previous Labour government for the blunder.
Jesse Norman MP, a Conservative member of the Commons Treasury committee, said: “The Revenue is still having to deal with the legacy of ill-judged reorganisations and change under the last government.”
“This news will come as a nasty surprise to some people, and as a nasty surprise to the Government that will have to find the money for millions of reimbursements.”
The rebates, and bills, will start to arrive in people’s letterboxes this weekend.
