HMRC collected £322.7bn in tax and National Insurance receipts between April and July, up £19.1bn on the same period last year, partly driven by the revenue impact of frozen tax thresholds.

PAYE income tax and national insurance contributions for April to July came in at £173.2bn, which is £12.5bn more than the same period last year, figures published today by HMRC revealed.

Business taxes rose 13%, while stamp taxes increased 8%. Capital Gains Tax receipts in July were £194m, up £29m year on year.

Self-assessment income tax receipts reached a record £17.1bn in January, up £1.7bn, although HMRC said January and February should be considered together because of payment timing around the 31 January deadline. PAYE receipts in April were also at a record high.

Shaun Moore, tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, said the figures showed why the government was reluctant to abandon its freeze on income tax thresholds.

"With a little over two months until John Healey stands at the despatch box, the government will be pleased to see tax receipts continuing to climb.

"What was originally framed as a temporary measure has become one of the most dependable sources of revenue for the public finances. The longer thresholds remain frozen, the more tax receipts rise and the harder it becomes for any government to give up that income.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, echoed these comments, with the figures suggesting the difficult fiscal choices facing the government ahead of the October Budget.

Hewson said: “If the new chancellor needed any reminder of the tight rope he will have to walk when he steps up to the dispatch box at the end of October, today’s borrowing figures delivered that in spades.

"Despite the increased take from VAT, Corporation Tax, NI contributions and Income Tax, pressures including increased benefit spend and debt interest costs gobbled away all the extra cash and a bit more. For John Healey it means he’s going to have to work on some fancy footwork if he’s going to deliver the kind of feel-good budget the country is clamouring for if it’s going to invest and grow.”

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