Locked out by HMRC

Thousands of people have been locked out of their tax accounts after HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) changed the way it allows people to log in. Until last month, taxpayers could use the Gov.uk Verify service to access their HMRC account. This allowed users to confirm their identity using a British driving licence or credit records. However, HMRC has unexpectedly withdrawn from using that service – completely shutting out people who don’t have the necessary documents.

Users now need to log in through the Government Gateway system. This requires you to hold two forms of identification from a list of accepted documents including a UK passport, recent payslip or tax credit statement. However, it does not accept a British driving licence as an acceptable form of ID (although Northern Ireland driving licences are accepted). If you don’t have these documents, you have to file your tax return on paper. If you need information, you’ll have to call the helpline, which is notoriously time consuming and expensive.

The Cabinet Office announced last year that Verify would close in April 2023, allowing time for an alternative system to be put in place. But it seems HMRC has dropped it a year early, with no consideration for people suddenly locked out of their accounts. HMRC tells The Guardian that it was working on increasing the range of acceptable ID but could not yet accept a British driving licence because the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not allow it access to its database. The DVLA says HMRC did not request access until late March.