Your HMRC online account gives you full visibility on all of your taxes – your balances, what’s due when, etc. You will also need an account to authorise us as your agents for VAT (and potentially in the future other taxes too!). It means you have full visibility on your taxes when you need it!
You will need to set up two of these accounts – an individual account for your personal tax/self assessment, and a company account for your corporation tax, PAYE and VAT.
These accounts will be yours, and should not be shared with anyone. We have our own account/log in as agents so do not need to use your log ins. It’s also good to note that you will be able to see more in your accounts than we can see as agents on our log in too – especially with VAT!
So, I’ve mentioned you need two – one for you personally for your personal taxes, and one for your company. If you have more than one company, then you’ll need a separate company account for each company. I’ve also mentioned you will see your different taxes in the company account – but obviously you’ll only add the taxes you actually are registered for.
There are two steps to setting up your account – the actual set up of the account – then adding the relevant taxes. Our video takes you through these steps, and below the video you’ll see the steps, and the link to the relevant HMRC page.
Setting up your account:
- Go to HMRC’s login page
- Click on the green sign in button
- Save this link/page in your favourites – this is where you’ll sign in in future
- Click on the blue Create Sign in Details link
- Enter your email address
- You’ll then receive an email from HMRC with a code
- Enter the code
- Enter your name
- Create your password
- Set up a recovery word
- You’ll then be given your Government Gateway User ID – save this as a screen shot/PDF, and keep in a safe place!
- Click continue
- Choose Individual or Organisation account as required
- You’ll then go through into your account.
With the individual one it will ask you for your NI number and UTR if you have one – so ensure you have these handy! You’ll then be sent an activation code through the post to fully finish the set up. The letter will have the full steps to follow for entering the activation code.
Adding taxes to an Organisation account:
Now you’ve set up your business account you’ll need to add the taxes that you are registered for to the account. There are many taxes available – everyone will need to add the Corporation tax – and the other most common ones to add are PAYE and VAT. If you’re not registered for these taxes yet, then no need to add them – but remember to add them as and when (and if) you do.
- From the main Business Tax Summary screen click on the blue add a tax, duty or scheme link
- Choose which tax you wish to add
- Enter the details it requests and follow the prompts
- For Corporation tax you’ll need your UTR, registered office address postcode and your registration number
- For PAYE you’ll need both of your PAYE references
- For VAT you’ll need your VAT number – and also some details from your VAT certificate, and possibly your last VAT return – so have both of these to hand
- Once you’ve added the tax HMRC will post an activation code to your registered address (possibly not for all taxes though!)
- Once the code arrives follow the steps in the letter to activate the tax in your account. Please note it could take 24/48 hours to update on your account, so don’t panic if you don’t have visibility straight away.
And that’s it – you’re all done and have set up your HMRC online account, and now have full visibility of each of your taxes at your fingertips.
