More than 20,000 Self Assessment customers have used HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) online monthly payment plan service since April to spread the cost of their tax bill, totalling £46 million so far, it has been revealed.

Where customers are struggling to pay their bills in full, the self-serve Time to Pay service allows Self Assessment customers to manage how they pay their tax liabilities.

Customers can use the online service for tax bills worth up to £30,000 without the need to talk to HMRC. The service will create a bespoke monthly payment plan for the customer based on how much tax is owed and the length of time needed to pay.

Last year, 123,000 customers used self-serve Time to Pay to spread the cost of their 2019/20 tax bill, worth £460 million.

Customers have until 31 January 2022 to complete their 2020/21 tax return and pay their bills.

If they can’t pay in full, customers can set up their own Time to Pay arrangement online if they:

• have filed their 2020/21 tax return
• owe less than £30,000
• are within 60 days of the payment deadline
• plan to pay their debt off within the next 12 months or less

If customers owe more than £30,000 or need longer to pay, they should call the Self Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

“We understand some customers might be worried about paying their Self Assessment bill this year, and we want to support them. To see if you’re eligible to set up a payment plan, go to GOV.UK and search ‘pay my Self Assessment’.”

Self-serve Time to Pay is just one of the ways customers can pay their Self Assessment tax bill, a full list of alternative payment methods is available on GOV.UK.