HM REVENUE AND
CUSTOMS News Release (NAT 05/09) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 14 January 2009
Over 20,000
businesses have delayed paying more than £350 million of tax after
contacting HMRC's Business Payment Support Service (BPSS) in
the last six weeks.
The new service, announced at the Pre Budget Report (PBR), gives
businesses the opportunity to pay all their HMRC taxes, including
PAYE, National insurance Contributions and VAT through payment
timetables which they can afford.
Financial Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms MP said:
"This is providing real help to business across the whole
country. I am delighted that HMRC has been able to help more than
20,000 businesses so far. This new scheme is helping businesses to
stay open and keep their staff in jobs.
"I urge any business facing financial difficulty in these
challenging economic times to pick up the phone and speak to an
HMRC adviser. A short phone call could save hard working
businesses time and money."
Time to pay was launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at
the PBR in November 2008. The service is designed to assist all
businesses that will be unable to pay their tax and in the
majority of cases, HMRC will be able to make a decision in around
10 minutes.
Notes for editors
1. The BPSS can be contacted on 0845 302
1435 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and from 8 am to 4pm at weekends.
2. Further information is available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2008/business-payment.htm
Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Press Office
Website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk