Impossible to create HMRC account

Pentris

My wife always had a Verify account with HMRC but they stopped and closed it this year. She now has no means of accessing her personal pension or tax details etc. or advising HMRC of mistakes, tax changes needed. The login screens need 2 out of 3 items to verify identity 1. Passport, 2 Mobile phone contract or credit card 3 Northern Ireland Driving Licence
She does not possess a passport, her phone is out of contract but she does have a credit card and debit card, and as she has always lived in England does not have a Northern Ireland driving licence but has a British driving licence. On the Gov.uk Forum HMRC responses say that HMRC does not have access to British DVLA licence details. Lots of people on this forum have the same problem.
I have escalated to my MP who has sent this on the Rishi Sunak for attention. Perhaps in a year or so she will get a response.
Has anyone else met this ridiculous roadblock with trying to deal with the HMRC?

DE_612183

yes.

Government Gateway access — MoneySavingExpert Forum

[Deleted User]

Yes - tried this again last week for my wife who, like anyone in NI with any sense, has an Irish passport. She has never driven a car. There is a helpline number  - 03002003600- but don’t waste your time. When I got through and informed them of the issue I was told that there was no help available in those circumstances. 

When I prompted that my wife would not be able to file a tax return if ever required (it won’t be) I was told that the service didn’t cater for such circumstances and to contact HMRC.

p00hsticks

Pentris said:

My wife always had a Verify account with HMRC but they stopped and closed it this year. She now has no means of ...<snip>.... advising HMRC of mistakes, tax changes needed.

Whislt I have every sympathy with your wife's predicament and fully understand her frustration, not having online access to her persional tax account won't be considered a legitimate reason by HMRC for failing to advise them of any mistakes or changes of circumstance etc, as there are several other ways of getting in touch with them, as outlined here.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-hmrc 

[Deleted User]

p00hsticks said:

Pentris said:

My wife always had a Verify account with HMRC but they stopped and closed it this year. She now has no means of ...<snip>.... advising HMRC of mistakes, tax changes needed.

Whislt I have every sympathy with your wife's predicament and fully understand her frustration, not having online access to her persional tax account won't be considered a legitimate reason by HMRC for failing to advise them of any mistakes or changes of circumstance etc, as there are several other ways of getting in touch with them, as outlined here.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-hmrc 

That may well be the case but, from my own experience, this has been an issue for more than five years now! Nothing whatsoever has been done about it. Prior to that there was an option to verify by confirming random figures from a P60. That option has now gone!

Albermarle

Government gateway a nightmare — MoneySavingExpert Forum
Government Gateway access — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Pentris

Thanks for the responses. The 'contact-hmrc' did not answer any of the questions asked so they were completely useless, probably still working from home.

Brie

presumably you could write to them and wait for a response?  

getting through to anyone in a government department takes persistence and a decent phone with speaker facilities.  Much like getting through to a doctor's surgery, get up early and start ringing repeatedly at 8 am.

[Deleted User]

Brie said:

presumably you could write to them and wait for a response?  

getting through to anyone in a government department takes persistence and a decent phone with speaker facilities.  Much like getting through to a doctor's surgery, get up early and start ringing repeatedly at 8 am.

There is no point - see my earlier post. Quite simply, HMRC do not regard this as a major issue and, accordingly, have no intention of devoting any resources to solving it. 

expansion

Is it no longer possible to get a UTR without the Government Gateway shenanigans? That used to be the alternative as once logged in it allowed all services even without an "HMRC account".