Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2022 to Question 105279 on Orchestras and Theatre: Tax Allowances, what the average claim amount was for the 15 per cent of valid claims for Theatre and Orchestra Tax Reliefs that were not paid within 28 days of receipt.

HMRC is not able to disclose how much relief is currently outstanding to companies. This data is not available until the claims have been reviewed and HMRC is able to confirm how much payment is due.

We do not calculate average claim amounts for those claims which were not processed within 28 days, as any figures could be misleading. They would not be representative of the range in size and complexity of claims we receive, nor demonstrate the range of reasons why these claims are not paid within 28 days. Such reasons range from simple administrative issues such as missing payment details, to more complex issues requiring the claim to be reviewed in more detail before payment can be released.