The Bank of England reduced its base rate from 4.25% to 4.00% on 7 August 2025. Because HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) interest rates are directly linked to the base rate, the interest charged on late tax payments and the interest paid on repayments will also fall.
When the changes take effect
- 18 August 2025 for quarterly instalment payments.
- 27 August 2025 for non-quarterly instalment payments.
How the rates are set
Late payment interest is set at the Bank of England base rate + 4.0%. So, this will decrease to 8.0%.
Repayment interest is based on the Bank of England base rate - 1.0%, with a minimum floor of 0.5% So, the interest payable on tax repayments will reduce to 3.0%.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hmrc-interest-rates-update
The government has published a technical consultation on its new Founders’ Relief. The consultation itself provides an overview of the proposed qualifying conditions for it, including individual and company requirements and what must be satisfied. HMRC’s own figures, however, show that the strict conditions mean only about 600 individuals will be eligible to apply each year.
It’s bad news for mortgage holders and borrowers as the Bank of England (BoE) raises interest rates by a quarter point to 4% for the first time since August 2023.
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