Royal Mail lost item, please help

[lydiamary2015]

Hi, 

I sold an item and sent it with the postage/tracking eBay provided. It hasn’t updated for over a week so the buyer and myself assume it is lost. How do I go about refunding the buyer and claiming for a lost item so I still receive the money? I’ve tried making a claim through paclink eBay but for some reason it doesn’t recognise the tracking number even though it is the one they gave and it can be tracked on Royal Mail website with it. 
can anyone help me get through to a person to speak to or know what to do? 
thanks 

[**peaseblossom**]

With Simple Delivery ebay issue the refund themselves for items lost or damaged in transit, as long as the correct case is opened by the buyer.    So ask your buyer to open a "not received" case to get their refund.   And you keep their payment.

@lydiamary2015