HMRC late payment interest rate hits 7.75%

HMRC has revised interest rates with late payment bills charged 7.75% from 22 August, the highest rate since 2001

The late payment and repayment interest rates follow the rise in the Bank of England base rate to 5.25% on 3 August and are applied to the main taxes and duties that HMRC currently charges and pays interest. The rates will rise to:

• late payment interest rate — 7.75% from 22 August 2023
• repayment interest rate — 4.25% from 22 August 2023

This means that the late payment interest rate will increase by 0.25% to 7.75% from 22 August. The last rate increase was on 11 July. Rates were last this high in August 2007.

Late payment interest is payable on late tax bills covering income tax, National Insurance contributions, capital gain tax, corporation tax pay and file, stamp duty land tax, stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax. The corporation tax pay and file rate also increases to 7.75%.

Repayment interest will also be increased from the current 4% rate to 4.25%.

Corporation tax self assessment interest rates relating to interest charged on underpaid quarterly instalment payments rises to 6.25% from 6% for the earlier date of 14 August.

With late payment interest now 2.5% above the Bank of England base rate, HMRC continues to pay lower interest to taxpayers affected by overpayments of tax at 4.25%, up from 4%.

The interest paid on overpaid quarterly instalment payments and on early payments of corporation tax not due by instalments rises to 5% from 4.75% from 14 August.

See HMRC interest rates for late and early payments

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