Cash in old certificates of tax deposit before it’s too late
The Certificate of Tax Deposit Scheme will come to an end on 23 November 2023, yet £89 million remains unclaimed. What should you do if you have such a certificate?
The Certificate of Tax Deposit Scheme allowed taxpayers to deposit money with HMRC and use it later to pay certain tax liabilities. The Scheme closed in 2017, but HMRC will continue to honour existing certificates until 23 November 2023. If you deposited part of the £89 million still held in the Scheme, ensure you contact the Certificate of Tax Deposit team before 23 November to tell them how you want to use your certificate.
After 23 November 2023 HMRC will try to repay the balance of any certificate which remains unpaid and unclaimed. If it's unable to reach you the balance will be forfeited. It's therefore very important to contact HMRC prior to the closing date. HMRC wrote to certificate holders with outstanding balances, so if you believe you are one but have not received a letter your contact details may be out of date and you risk losing your money.
Related Topics
-
Don’t overlook the partial exemption annual adjustment
As VAT year ends approach for many businesses, HMRC’s guidance highlights the need to carry out the partial exemption annual adjustment. This is often overlooked but can have a direct impact on recoverable VAT. What do you need to check?
-
MONTHLY FOCUS: USING YOUR COMPANY TO DIVERT INCOME TO FAMILY MEMBERS
Operating a business through a limited company is less tax-efficient than it used to be. However, it can still be a very useful way of diverting income to other family members. In this Monthly Focus, we look at the methods, and associated considerations, involved in doing this.
-
HMRC updates guidance on information notices
HMRC has updated its Compliance Handbook guidance on the use of information notices, with changes made on 18 March 2026. The revisions clarify how HMRC should request information during enquiries and place greater emphasis on proportionality. What does this mean in practice?


This website uses both its own and third-party cookies to analyze our services and navigation on our website in order to improve its contents (analytical purposes: measure visits and sources of web traffic). The legal basis is the consent of the user, except in the case of basic cookies, which are essential to navigate this website.