Group News
10 years of HMRC Time to Pay Arrangements
Our Business Advisory team has a longstanding reputation and strong track record for negotiating HMRC Time to Pay (TTP) arrangements on behalf of clients across the country, and this year that stature has led to the biggest result yet: a 14-year TTP, by far the longest timescale the team has achieved to date.
Looking back over the past 10 years, their expertise has translated into over 970 arrangements secured, £327 million in HMRC arrears restructured, and more than 60,000 jobs protected along the way. The success rate over that period has never dropped below 90% and has stayed above 98% across the last seven years, a standard maintained even as volumes have more than tripled since 2022.
What the numbers do not fully capture is the range of businesses behind them. The team has sat across the table from sole traders and multi-million-pound corporates alike, in sectors from manufacturing and construction to hospitality, recruitment and healthcare. Each case starts from the same place: a business that is fundamentally viable but has run into a short-term cashflow problem, often driven by rising costs, a lost contract, or a shock the business could not have planned for.
Over the decade, the biggest shift has been in how much time HMRC is now willing to grant. Ten years ago, a typical arrangement ran to around a year. Today, the average is closer to four, a trend that, whilst a significant jump, made the 14-year result possible and shows just how far a well-constructed case can go when the groundwork behind it is right.
HMRC continues to take an increasingly proactive stance on debt recovery, and its status as a secondary preferential creditor means the position is watched closely by lenders as well.
Many businesses choose to approach HMRC directly, and it is entirely possible to do so. But without a structured, evidenced proposal, applications are frequently declined, or result in repayment terms too short to be workable. HMRC needs a realistic picture of the financial position, and, critically, a clear account of what has changed to prevent the arrears recurring. Get that right, and HMRC has shown that it will be reasonable. Get it wrong, and even a viable business can find its options narrowing fast.
This is where our team's experience counts. Knowing how HMRC assesses a proposal and building the case to answer those questions before they are asked, is a skill built up over two and a half decades of doing exactly this, case after case, through recessions, a pandemic, and now a period of sustained cost pressure on British businesses. It is why our success rate has held so consistently.
If you or a client are facing HMRC arrears, early action opens the most options. For support, please get in touch with the team on 0161 835 1900 or via hello@leonardcurtis.co.uk.
Feedback Form
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec ultricies consequat.
News and insights
Get in touch
with Leonard Curtis
Forward
with purpose
Leonard Curtis is a trading style of Reach Commercial Finance Limited, registered at Leonard Curtis House, Elms Square, Bury New Road, Whitefield, M45 7TA. Company Register number is 09056450. Reach Commercial Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN: 753686. Reach Commercial Finance Limited is an authorised credit broker and not a lender. We work with an unrestricted number of lenders to find a potentially suitable arrangement for your consideration. ICO registration ZA069234 and you can check via www.ico.org.uk. We will receive commission from lenders. Different lenders pay different amounts depending on different commission models. For transparency we work with the following commission models: fixed fee, fixed rate of commission, percentage of the amount you borrow and rate for risk (this is based on the risk profile of the business). Further details of the commission model, calculation and amount will be disclosed to you throughout your customer journey. Privacy notice.
Leonard Curtis Legal Limited is a limited company, registered in England and Wales with registered number 09820186. Registered office: Leonard Curtis House, Elms Square, Bury New Road, Whitefield, M45 7TA. Leonard Curtis Legal Limited is registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority with number 626004.