Late payment interest rises again

On 2 February, the Bank of England announced that it would increase the base rate of interest by 0.5%, to 4%. This is the tenth successive increase since December 2021. As HMRC’s late payment and repayment interest rates are linked to the base rate, they are also set to increase. From 13 February 2023 the following rates will apply:

• Late corporation tax paid quarterly - 5%
• Interest on overpaid corporation tax - 3.75%

From 21 February, the rates for other taxes will apply:

• Late payment interest - 6.5%
• Interest on overpaid tax - 3%

If your tax payment is outstanding, make the payment as soon as possible to avoid higher interest charges. Note that these will apply even if you agreed a time to pay arrangement with HMRC, so it's still more efficient for you to pay as much as you can sooner.