HMRC payment and NI number disclosure

haze23

Looking to make a faster payment to HMRC (hence this forum, didn't see anything more appropriate) but am just wondering whether I'm being paranoid about the details.

Long story short, after some messing about, HMRC have sent an update that I owe tax for last FY and that I can/should pay with a bank transfer. No problem. They provide details of their account but also a payment reference. This reference contains my National Insurance number. General advice is that it isn't wise to disclose this unnecessarily due to scams, identity theft etc.

I'm unclear as to how this will be promulgated within a faster payment transaction. Bank to bank, there probably isn't much to worry about? That said, even my bank suggested ideally it wouldn't be included. HMRC insist as they can't link the payment any other way. Understandable but they could have supplied a different unique code for the reference.

Given the impenetrable T&Cs for almost anything these days, who knows what third parties have access to transactions/credit checking and what details they see.

So, is this secure, or at least as low risk as practicable? Is HMRC flying in the face of good practice?

Bottom line is I likely have no option (I want to pay this rather than mess with future tax codes) but interested whether anyone else would have an issue with doing this. Sorry, still quite a long post!

ColdIron

HMRC use Open Banking these days, no need for a FP. I prefer it, more secure and no possibility of entering your details incorrectly. You can also do a debit card payment with similar advantages, I even got cashback for one payment recently

friolento

If you want to avoid disclosing your NINO to your bank, you can use the HMRC app and pay by Open Banking. I have just done this, takes less than a minute if you have the app of your bank on the same device.

Another NINO-free alternative is to pay by debit card (mine got blocked this morning when I tried to pay HMRC....). You have to start the payment from the HMRC app or from your Personal Tax Account.

If you don't want to use the app or a debit card, and if you want to be sure that your payment gets allocated to your HMRC tax account, you have to use the Reference number the HMRC has given you. There's no reason to fret over using the NINO in a payment reference.

ColdIron

Open Banking works on a desktop/laptop

friolento

ColdIron said:

Open Banking works on a desktop/laptop

Oh, of course it does! DOH. Sometimes I am too app focused.

sheramber

HMRC hold your records under your NI number, which is a unique number.

How many double references would they need with the number of taxpayers they are dealing with and  then the two reference numbers would have to be linked.. 

That would entail reprogramming  the computer, which would cost money which neither HMRC or the Government
 have.

However you pay HMRC need your NI number to credit it to your account.

ColdIron

That's not how databases work. Open banking and debit card payments manage just fine without it

molerat

If you are in receipt of state pension or any other benefits your NI number is used as the reference on your bank statement. 

boingy

I'd have no problem putting my NI Number on a payment to HMRC. There are bigger things to worry about.

GeoffTF

When I have to make Self Assessment payments, I get a Bank Giro slip which has my UTR with a K at the end as the reference, not my NINO. I pay by debit card using that reference (without the K) without logging into my account. That seems to be the easiest way to pay.

lr1277

What about using your UTR?

Admittedly I haven’t done this for a while, but I go on the web and search on ‘pay self assessment’.
i choose the correct page, then if memory serves, I pay by debit card and give my UTR as the reference.
Is this option available to you?