HMRC Online Services

JoeWebber

I have used these services to submit my tax return for some years and I am now trying to do the same for my wife but without success.
The account is registered but when I log in I am told she cannot be identified.
When I queried this the reply was that security is now more stringent (even though I can still log in to my account). This means in practice that she needs a credit record.
However, we have never needed credit and she does not have a valid passport or driving licence. So, even though they have received a printed tax return for many years, she is unknown to them.
The situation therefore is that anyone with a credit record has no problem and anyone with a clean record is out of luck.
Has anyone else met this problem? If so, any advice?
Otherwise, it will be back to the printed return.

molerat

Has she not got any credit record - bank accounts, mobile phone contracts, utility bills or a P60 from work or pension ?

sam_r2d2

My wife recently had this problem and could also not be identified - after 3 phone calls to HMRC it turned out somebody had entered her name into the system incorrectly!

It was one character different, so the records didn't match and "computer said no"

p00hsticks

JoeWebber wrote: »

I
Has anyone else met this problem? If so, any advice?

Yes, I had a Government Gateway account which I used to use for self Assessment but had to have the password reset, after which I found on re-entry that I was unable to answer the security questions I was being asked as I was no longer in employment. (I was being asked how much NI was showing on a recentt P60 - but it would not accept that this was a zero value).)

I also struggled with the Verify method of ID as - like your wife - I do not have a current passport or driving licence and the Experian option requires you to have multiple credit cards and bank accounts with specific organisations.

I did follow this up with HMRC and their response was basically that they accept that the online systems are a work in progress and not everyone will currently be able to have access to them.

[Deleted User]

p00hsticks wrote: »

Yes, I had a Government Gateway account which I used to use for self Assessment but had to have the password reset, after which I found on re-entry that I was unable to answer the security questions I was being asked as I was no longer in employment. (I was being asked how much NI was showing on a recentt P60 - but it would not accept that this was a zero value).)

I also struggled with the Verify method of ID as - like your wife - I do not have a current passport or driving licence and the Experian option requires you to have multiple credit cards and bank accounts with specific organisations.

I did follow this up with HMRC and their response was basically that they accept that the online systems are a work in progress and not everyone will currently be able to have access to them.

Interesting - I had the same problem when completing my wife's return and came up against the very same obstacle - that NI question!

That 'work in progress' was in May 2015.

JoeWebber

Molerat: we have a joint bank account and utility bills. The problem is that nobody asks for them as proof of identity.
Thanks for your replies.
I will send a printed return with a covering letter describing the problems (for what that's worth!).

glider3560

p00hsticks wrote: »

I also struggled with the Verify method of ID as - like your wife - I do not have a current passport or driving licence and the Experian option requires you to have multiple credit cards and bank accounts with specific organisations.

Did you try one of the other identity providers? There are at least five to choose from IIRC.


Even a current account (without overdraft) would be enough to give you a credit history with one of the agencies.

p00hsticks

glider3560 wrote: »

Did you try one of the other identity providers? There are at least five to choose from IIRC.


Even a current account (without overdraft) would be enough to give you a credit history with one of the agencies.

When you initially say that you wish to use Verify it takes you through a series of questions (which I can't remember) to identify which of the providers is suitable - for me, Experian was the only possible option it suggested at the end of that. But the Experian Verify system only includes info on certain banking organisations (for example, you can't use info from Nationwide or American Express) so even that wouldn't be suitable for many.

[Deleted User]

Hate logging in to hmrc, password never works and I have even after getting new password from them I have to get my passport to verify my identity! Only logging in to paying to help to save.

JoeWebber

P00hsticks, that was exactly my experience.