What is a personal tax account?

Your personal tax account is an online service from HMRC where you can view and manage your tax affairs. It replaced the old HMRC Online Services account in 2015. You can check your Income Tax, claim tax refunds, update personal details, and view benefits and State Pension information.

You access your personal tax account using a Government Gateway user ID and password. This is the same login you use for Self Assessment, claiming benefits, or other government services.

How to set up a personal tax account

Follow these steps to create your account:

  1. Go to gov.uk/personal-tax-account
  2. Click "Sign in" then "Create sign in details"
  3. Enter your email address and create a password
  4. Verify your email (HMRC sends a confirmation link)
  5. Enter your National Insurance number
  6. Answer identity questions using two of the following:
    • Information from your P60 or payslip
    • Your UK passport details
    • Details from a Self Assessment tax return
    • Tax credits information
    • Details from your self-employment records
  7. HMRC posts an activation code to your registered address within 10 working days
  8. Enter the activation code online to complete setup

If you cannot answer the identity questions, HMRC may ask you to confirm your identity by post or phone.

How to log in to your personal tax account

Once your account is set up:

  1. Go to gov.uk/personal-tax-account
  2. Click "Sign in"
  3. Enter your Government Gateway user ID and password

If you have forgotten your user ID or password, click the "Forgotten your user ID?" or "Forgotten your password?" links. HMRC will send a reset link to your registered email address.

What can you do in your personal tax account?

Your personal tax account lets you:

1. Check your Income Tax

  • View your tax code and what it means
  • See how much tax you paid this year
  • Check your estimated Income Tax for next year
  • View details of your pay and pensions

2. Claim tax refunds

  • Claim employment expenses (uniform, mileage, working from home)
  • Claim marriage allowance
  • Claim tax back on job expenses using form P87
  • Check the status of refund claims

3. Update your details

  • Change your address
  • Tell HMRC about a new job or pension
  • Update your marital status
  • Add a missing employer or pension

4. Check your State Pension

  • View your State Pension forecast
  • Check your National Insurance record
  • See gaps in your National Insurance contributions
  • Voluntary NI contributions (if you want to fill gaps)

5. Manage benefits and tax credits

  • Check Child Benefit payments
  • Update Child Benefit details
  • View tax credits information

6. Self Assessment

  • File your Self Assessment tax return
  • View your Self Assessment tax bill
  • Set up a payment plan if you owe tax
  • Check your Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)

7. Other services

  • Check how much you can put in your ISA
  • Claim a tax refund when you stop working
  • Tell HMRC about income from savings and investments

How to check your tax code

Your tax code tells your employer or pension provider how much tax to deduct from your pay. To check it:

  1. Log in to your personal tax account
  2. Click "Check your Income Tax"
  3. View your current tax code and tax-free allowance
  4. See a breakdown of how HMRC calculated your tax code

If your tax code looks wrong (for example, you have two jobs and both use the full personal allowance), you can update your details online and HMRC will issue a new tax code.

How to claim a tax refund

If you have overpaid tax or have claimable expenses, you can claim a refund:

  1. Log in to your personal tax account
  2. Click "Claim a tax refund" or "Claim tax relief for job expenses"
  3. Select the type of expense or overpayment
  4. Enter the amount and tax years you are claiming for
  5. Submit your claim

HMRC processes online refund claims in 5-10 working days. Refunds are paid to your bank account (if you have linked it) or by cheque.

How to update your address

  1. Log in to your personal tax account
  2. Click "Manage your personal details"
  3. Select "Change your address"
  4. Enter your new address

This updates your address for Income Tax, National Insurance, and State Pension. If you receive benefits or tax credits, update your address separately through those services.

How to tell HMRC about a new job

Your employer usually tells HMRC when you start a new job, but you can check and update if needed:

  1. Log in to your personal tax account
  2. Click "Check your Income Tax"
  3. View your employment and pension details
  4. If a job or pension is missing, click "Add a missing employer or pension"

HMRC issues a new tax code once they process the update. Your employer receives the new code within a few days.

How to check your State Pension forecast

  1. Log in to your personal tax account
  2. Click "Check your State Pension"
  3. View your forecast (how much you will get and when)
  4. Check your National Insurance record for gaps

If you have gaps in your NI record, you can pay voluntary contributions to qualify for a higher State Pension. The service shows you how much extra State Pension you will get if you fill the gaps.

What if you cannot access your personal tax account?

Common access issues and solutions:

Forgotten user ID or password

Click "Forgotten your user ID?" or "Forgotten your password?" on the sign-in page. HMRC sends a reset link to your registered email address.

Account locked

If you enter the wrong password multiple times, your account locks for 24 hours. Wait 24 hours, then try again.

Cannot answer identity questions

If you do not have a P60, payslip, passport, or tax credits details, call HMRC on 0300 200 3300. They will verify your identity over the phone and help you set up your account.

Activation code not arrived

HMRC posts activation codes to your registered address within 10 working days. If it does not arrive, log in and request a new code. You can request up to three codes. After that, call HMRC.

No National Insurance number

You need a National Insurance number to set up a personal tax account. If you do not have one, apply via gov.uk or call HMRC's National Insurance helpline on 0300 200 3500.

Personal tax account vs Self Assessment

Your personal tax account and Self Assessment account use the same Government Gateway login, but they show different information:

Feature Personal tax account Self Assessment
Check PAYE tax code Yes No
Claim employment expenses Yes (form P87) Yes (in tax return)
File Self Assessment return No (redirects to SA) Yes
View State Pension forecast Yes No
Update address Yes Yes

If you complete Self Assessment, you still need a personal tax account to check your PAYE tax code, State Pension, and benefits.

Is your personal tax account secure?

HMRC uses Government Gateway, which has security features:

  • Password requirements (min 12 characters, mix of letters and numbers)
  • Account lockout after multiple failed login attempts
  • Email notifications for login activity
  • Activation codes sent by post (not email) to verify your identity

To keep your account secure:

  • Use a unique password (not used on other websites)
  • Do not share your user ID or password
  • Log out after each session
  • Watch for phishing emails pretending to be from HMRC (HMRC never asks for passwords via email)

Can someone else access your personal tax account?

You can authorise an accountant, tax agent, or family member to access your account by setting up an "agent authorisation". The agent needs their own Government Gateway account. You then grant them permission to view or manage your tax affairs.

To set this up:

  1. Ask your agent for their Agent Services Account reference
  2. Log in to your personal tax account
  3. Go to "Manage who can deal with HMRC on your behalf"
  4. Authorise the agent using their reference number

You can remove authorisation at any time.

Personal tax account mobile app

HMRC offers a mobile app (iOS and Android) called "HMRC" where you can access your personal tax account. The app lets you:

  • Check your tax code
  • View your State Pension forecast
  • Track your tax refund claim
  • Update your address

The app uses the same Government Gateway login as the website. Some features (like filing Self Assessment) are not available in the app and require the full website.

What if HMRC shows wrong information?

If your personal tax account shows incorrect income, tax code, or employment details:

  1. Check with your employer or pension provider first (they report your income to HMRC)
  2. If your employer's information is correct, contact HMRC to query the discrepancy
  3. Use the "Check your Income Tax" section to report missing or incorrect employers

HMRC aims to correct errors within 15 working days. If you overpaid tax due to an HMRC error, you can claim a refund for up to 4 previous tax years.

Personal tax account for non-UK residents

You can still use your personal tax account if you move abroad, as long as you have UK tax affairs (UK income, UK State Pension). You can update your address to a foreign address and HMRC will post activation codes internationally (allow 4-6 weeks).

If you have no UK income or tax affairs, you may not be able to access some features. Contact HMRC's non-resident helpline for support.