HMRC Time to Pay affordability calculator
The most common reason a Time to Pay proposal fails is that the director offers HMRC more than the company can sustain, then defaults. Enter your tax arrears and the monthly surplus you can realistically commit to see how long the debt would take to clear, including HMRC interest.
Is a Time to Pay plan realistic?
Worked example: change the figures to your own. HMRC charges late-payment interest on Time to Pay balances. This uses 7.75%, the rate from 9 January 2026 (Bank of England base rate plus 4%), and the rate changes when the base rate does. This is an estimate, not a quote. You must also keep paying new tax as it falls due, and HMRC decides each case on its facts.
Source: HMRC interest rates for late and early payments, gov.uk; If you cannot pay your tax bill on time, gov.uk.
Proposing a figure HMRC will accept
HMRC would generally rather agree a realistic plan than force a company under, so propose a figure you can genuinely hit from real cash flow, over a period HMRC will accept, usually up to twelve months. If the maths only works over many years, that is itself useful information: it suggests the company may need formal rescue or an orderly closure rather than a payment plan.
Common questions
How long will HMRC give me to pay?
Time to Pay arrangements are usually up to 12 months, though HMRC sometimes agrees longer for larger debts. The plan has to be realistic and affordable, and you must keep paying new tax on time as well.
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