Got a pukka letter from HMRC saying I was due a substantial sum as a refund, and that for 4 days only, I could go on-line, enter my NI number and bank details, and get my money.
Like you (I hope!) I said “pi** off”. The letter also said that if I didn’t claim my money on line, I would get a cheque - in 60 days!
And... 60 days later, I got the cheque.
Happy ending, but seems a shoddy, haphazard way of doing the job, possibly with the intention of delaying payment by 60 days.
I don't understand how the offer could have been limited to 4 days since we can go online and claim any refund due to us for the previous tax year at any time. There's a page/form on the gov.uk/HMRC site for doing it
The 4 day figure may have been if there was a temporary access code given in the letter for you to log in. When i log in i get sent by text a passcode which has a limited validity period.
I will repeat again it has nothing to do with the phasing out of cheques but more to do with the cost of processing and prepping the said cheques.
But you and Mikey seem to know best.