The Government Gateway is a system in which you can access the majority of government online services, including your tax account.
Let’s explore how to set up your account, add your taxes and invite your accountant.
Register for a Gateway
A Gateway account is created the first time you enrol for a government online service. If you previously accessed online government services, you may already have an account. If this is the case, you will be prompted to log in instead of register.
To register for an account, go to the HMRC services website and follow these steps:
Enter your email address. You will then receive a verification code that you will need to enter.
Enter your full name.
Create a unique password.
Set up a recovery word in case you lose your password.
Choose the type of account you wish to set up. Select “Organisation” if you’re registering as a business.
Set up 2-Step Verification for security protection. You can either enter a phone number or use an authentication application.
Answer the additional security questions when prompted.
Once registered, you will receive your Government Gateway User ID via email. Make sure to save this for your records.
Add your taxes
You will be able to add any relevant business taxes to your account from the Business Tax Account Home Page. The most common tax services are VAT, Self Assessment, Corporation Tax, PAYE and CIS (which is included in the PAYE option).
Each time you add a service, you will receive an activation PIN within 10 days. Once you have entered the pin, you can start using the service.
To add a service, follow these steps:
● On the Home Page, click “add a tax, duty or scheme”.
● Select which tax or service you wish to add.
● Follow the steps when prompted.
For Corporation Tax, you will need your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and your Company Registration Number.
For Self Assessment, you will need your UTR and National Insurance Number (NIN). If you do not have this, you will be prompted to register for Self Assessment and will receive your UTR within 10 days.
For PAYE or the Construction Industry Scheme, you will need your Employer PAYE Reference and the HMRC office number found on the letter HMRC sent you when you registered as an employer.
For VAT, you will need your VAT number, date of registration, the month your last VAT Return ended and the amount in box 5 of your last VAT Return.
Add your accountant
You can authorise an agent to have access to your Business Tax Account and handle your tax affairs.
To invite your accountant, follow these steps:
● Click “Manage Account” in the navigation bar at the top.
● Choose “Accountants” from the list in the middle of the screen.
● Select the service(s) you would like to add them to.
● Click “Authorise an Agent”.
