Setting up a personal tax account with HMRC gives you immediate digital access to your tax records, Self Assessment returns, National Insurance details and State Pension forecasts. Once registered, you can check your tax code, claim refunds, update personal details and manage benefits without waiting for postal correspondence. The account is free, secure and designed to replace paper-based tax administration with a faster, more transparent online service that HMRC says 19.7 million people used during 2025 to 2026.
What is a personal tax account and who needs one?
A personal tax account is HMRC's official online portal where UK taxpayers view and manage their tax affairs in one secure location. You sign in with either a Government Gateway user ID and password or GOV.UK One Login details (an email address and password), and most accounts also ask for a single-use security code when you sign in. The account consolidates Income Tax records, Self Assessment submissions, National Insurance contributions, Child Benefit details, Marriage Allowance claims and State Pension forecasts.
You should consider setting up a personal tax account if you:
- Complete Self Assessment tax returns each year
- Want to check your tax code or PAYE records
- Need to claim a tax refund or report overpaid tax
- Receive Child Benefit or claim Marriage Allowance
- Wish to view your National Insurance record and State Pension estimate
- Prefer managing tax matters digitally rather than by post
Even if you are employed under PAYE and do not file Self Assessment, a personal tax account lets you verify that HMRC holds correct details and that your employer is deducting the right amount of tax. It is particularly valuable for anyone who has changed jobs, started self-employment, received employment benefits or moved address, because you can check and update the details HMRC holds online rather than sending paper forms.
Key benefits of registering a personal tax account
The personal tax account offers practical advantages that save time, reduce errors and give you greater control over your tax compliance:
- Instant access to tax records: View your Income Tax estimate, tax code, PAYE history and Self Assessment submissions without requesting paper statements.
- Quicker refunds: If your P800 tax calculation says you are owed money, you can claim it online into a UK bank account. GOV.UK says online claims are paid within 5 working days, against 6 weeks for a cheque.
- Easy updates: Tell HMRC about a change of name or address and update the email address HMRC uses for your tax letters, without writing in.
- Self Assessment management: Submit, view or manage your returns and payments, and print your SA302 tax calculation and tax year overview, which mortgage lenders may ask for.
- National Insurance and pensions: Review your NI contribution record, decide whether to make voluntary contributions and see your State Pension forecast.
- Employment benefits tracking: Check or update details of benefits from work, such as a company car or medical insurance, so you are less likely to overpay or face an unexpected bill.
- Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) lookup: Find your UTR instantly if you have registered for Self Assessment, saving time when dealing with accountants or lenders.
- Reduced paperwork: Choose to get some HMRC letters online, with an email alert when a new one arrives, instead of by post.
These features make the personal tax account an essential tool for staying compliant, spotting discrepancies early and planning your finances with confidence. For more guidance on tax planning strategies, visit our tax planning service page.
What you need before you start registration
Preparation is critical to a smooth registration process. Gather the following items before you begin:
- National Insurance number: Found on your payslip, P60 or letters about tax, pensions or benefits.
- Valid email address: GOV.UK One Login uses your email address as your sign-in and sends security codes to it, so use one you check regularly.
- Photo identification: Usually a UK passport or UK photocard driving licence, although some other documents, such as a non-UK passport with a biometric chip, are accepted.
- Recent payslip or P60: Useful if you are employed under PAYE, so you can check that the pay and tax figures HMRC holds match your own records.
- Mobile phone: For sign-in security codes, unless you use an authenticator app. A smartphone with a camera also lets you prove your identity by app.
- Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR): If you already file Self Assessment, have your ten-digit UTR ready (found on previous tax returns or HMRC letters).
- Secure device and internet connection: Use a private computer, tablet or smartphone with a reliable connection; avoid public Wi-Fi for security.
If you do not have a UK passport or driving licence, you may be able to answer security questions instead. GOV.UK One Login checks your answers against your Experian credit file, and you will also need details of a UK bank or building society current account. Your name must match those records exactly, including middle names.
Step-by-step guide to setting up your personal tax account
Follow these steps to create your account and gain full access to HMRC's online services:
Step 1: Visit the HMRC personal tax account page
Go to the official HMRC website at gov.uk and search for 'personal tax account', or go straight to the personal tax account sign-in page and select Start now. Type the address yourself rather than following a link in an email or text, as some websites imitate government services.
Step 2: Choose the right sign-in option
There are two ways to sign in to HMRC online services: Government Gateway, with a user ID and password, and GOV.UK One Login, with an email address and password. If you already use HMRC online services, keep using your existing details, even if you have a GOV.UK One Login for another government service. If you have never used them, select Create new sign in details. HMRC says all new individual customers without a Government Gateway account now use GOV.UK One Login.
Step 3: Create your sign-in details and security codes
For GOV.UK One Login, enter an email address that belongs to you and a password you do not use anywhere else. Then choose how to get your sign-in security codes: by text message to a UK mobile number or from an authenticator app. Adding a back-up method makes it easier to get back in if you lose your phone.
Step 4: Prove your identity
You will be told when you sign in if you need to prove your identity. GOV.UK One Login offers three ways to do it:
- The GOV.UK One Login app: Scan your photo ID and your face using an iPhone 8 or newer on iOS 16.7 or higher, or an Android phone on Android 10 or higher.
- Security questions online: Answer questions that are checked against your credit file, or against DWP records if you get Universal Credit or PIP.
- At a Post Office: Have your photo ID scanned and your photo taken at a branch offering in-branch verification. The result usually arrives by email within a day.
If you use Government Gateway, HMRC may ask you to use the GOV.UK ID Check app instead. Once you prove your identity with GOV.UK One Login, it is saved for other services that use it.
Step 5: Check your details
Once you are in, check that your address, tax code, Income Tax estimate and any benefits from work are right, and update anything out of date. Use your profile and settings to choose how you get letters. HMRC is redesigning the account in stages through 2026 to 2027, so screens may differ from older guides.
Step 6: Add the HMRC app
The free HMRC app uses the same sign-in details, and afterwards you can sign in with a 6-digit PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition. It lets you check your tax code, National Insurance number and State Pension, claim a refund, make payments and update your address.
What to do if identity verification fails
Most problems have a straightforward fix:
- Security answers rejected: If you made a mistake, you cannot use that method again, so go back to the service and choose another. If you think your answers were right, check your credit file for errors.
- The app will not read your ID: Remove your phone case, keep the phone still and touching the chip, and avoid glare. You can also start again with a different photo ID.
- No suitable ID: The service may offer another way to prove your identity. Use the Get help link in the service or contact HMRC's online services technical support, which can also help if your health or circumstances make online services difficult.
- Locked out or lost details: Government Gateway accounts unlock 2 hours after too many wrong attempts; helpdesk advisers cannot unlock them sooner. You will be told how to recover lost details when you sign in.
Services can be slow at busy times, so check HMRC's service availability page. For GOV.UK One Login problems, contact the GOV.UK One Login team.
How to keep your personal tax account secure
HMRC asks you to treat your sign-in details with the same care as your bank details:
- Never share your sign-in details: Not with anyone, including your accountant. Tax agents must be authorised through HMRC's approved appointment process and use their own agent account.
- Protect your security codes: If you receive sign-in codes you did not request, someone may have your password, so change it.
- Recognise scams: Contact could be a scam if it rushes or threatens you, is unexpected, asks for bank details or offers a refund or rebate. HMRC will never threaten arrest or ask for payment in gift vouchers. Check HMRC's list of genuine HMRC contacts.
- Report it: Forward suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599. Report suspicious account activity, such as changes you did not make, to HMRC immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Will I have to switch from Government Gateway to GOV.UK One Login?
Not yet. Existing Government Gateway users do not need to do anything until HMRC contacts them. HMRC aims to begin moving existing individual customers to GOV.UK One Login in 2027.
Can my accountant sign in to my account for me?
No. HMRC prohibits sharing sign-in details, including with tax agents. You authorise your accountant instead, and they use their own agent account. If our qualified accountants prepare your Self Assessment tax return, we will explain how to authorise us.
Can I register for Self Assessment through my personal tax account?
Yes. HMRC's improved registration service, launched in September 2026, lets people new to Self Assessment register through the account, with their UTR appearing online within 72 hours rather than arriving by post.
What if I cannot find my National Insurance number?
Check your payslips, P60 or letters about tax, pensions or benefits. HMRC cannot give you the number by phone or webchat, but GOV.UK has a tool that shows where to look.
Getting started
Have your National Insurance number, photo ID and phone ready, start from GOV.UK and pick the sign-in option that matches your history with HMRC. Then check your details regularly so errors are caught early. For help with Self Assessment or tax planning, contact our qualified accountants.
