Hi Neil!  So sorry to hear you haven't received your refund.  It is true if you had waited to file your return then you would have been able to sidestep the wait.  Unfortunately, the IRS requested that no amendments be filed for this specific issue and that they would process the refunds automatically.

The refunds are being processed in batches, with more complex returns at the end of the line.  For example, the first refunds issued were to those single filers with no dependents.

The IRS has now processed their 4th batch of refunds with some still remaining.

Naturally you could contact the IRS to see if they have any further information, or you may get a tax transcript to determine if the payment is forthcoming. 

You can request a tax transcript using the following link:
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript
Additionally, you may contact the IRS by following the steps below (to get a live person)
The IRS telephone number is 1-800-829-1040, and they are available from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday thru Friday. The best time to call is early in the morning.
The first question the automated system will ask you is to choose your language.
Once you’ve set your language, do NOT choose Option 1 (regarding refund info). Choose option 2 for “Personal Income Tax” instead.
Next, press 1 for “form, tax history, or payment”.
Next, press 3 “for all other questions.”
Next, press 2 “for all other questions.”
When the system asks you to enter your SSN or EIN to access your account information, do NOT enter anything.
After it asks twice, you will be prompted with another menu.
Press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.
Finally, press 4 for all other inquiries. The system should then transfer you to an agent.

Hi Neil - yes there have been unusually long delays and it has been really frustrating this year! I don't know when you filed exactly but from what you describe it has to be earlier in the tax season.  If you haven't gotten a letter from the IRS by now, I would definitely not wait.  I've been assisting clients on TurboTax Live Support for months for how to expedite getting their much needed refunds.  So logging into your TurboTax account and requesting Live Help in the lower right corner is your first place to check with for the most up to date help.

The IRS did instruct all the tax software companies to not amend returns for the untaxed unemployment adjustment.   And yes some people have had extremely long delays with the IRS.   Here's what I recommend to my clients calling in.

You can double check the IRS math on your return, the untaxed unemployment will be correct in the return now.  You can select getting a .pdf copy of your return to look at that. 

You can also setup an IRS account here:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-online-account-can-help-taxpayers-get-ready-to-file-their-tax-retur...

You can go to your 2020 Account Transcript to see if the IRS has processed the return with the untaxed unemployment on it. 

You can view any payments sent out by the IRS here, adjustments to your tax return, etc.

There have been delays with some of these payments.  But if it shows here that the IRS has sent out the refund and you haven't received it, there are directions to get it resent here:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-first-economic-impact-payment-topic-f-p...

Here's a suggestion for getting a real person to talk to at the IRS:

Suggestions for Contacting the IRS

The IRS telephone number is 1-800-829-1040, and they are available from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday thru Friday. The best time to call is early in the morning.
The first question the automated system will ask you is to choose your language.
Once you’ve set your language, do NOT choose Option 1 (regarding refund info). Choose option 2 for “Personal Income Tax” instead.
Next, press 1 for “form, tax history, or payment”.
Next, press 3 “for all other questions.”
Next, press 2 “for all other questions.”
When the system asks you to enter your SSN or EIN to access your account information, do NOT enter anything.
After it asks twice, you will be prompted with another menu.
Press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.
Finally, press 4 for all other inquiries. The system should then transfer you to an agent.

Let me know if this answers  your question.