This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more about cookies on this website and how to delete cookies, see our Cookie Policy.
Analytics

Tools which collect anonymous data to enable us to see how visitors use our site and how it performs. We use this to improve our products, services and user experience.

Essential

Tools that enable essential services and functionality, including identity verification, service continuity and site security.

Where Taxpayers and Advisers Meet

Problems registering for online assessment

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm
Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby etf » Mon May 11, 2020 11:14 am

More problems taken from a post on HMRC's own forum:

It is very very difficult to understand why HMRC cannot understand that Gov.UK Verify and Digidentity doesn't work. We have tried to prove identity by putting in valid driving licence and passport details. These are two Government issued official documents and should be more than adequate to provide identity. However we have no credit history (even though having a UK bank account). Therefore GOv.Uk and Digidentity refuse to prove identity. HMRC say that they cannot comment on services operated by third parties. However GOV.UK Verify is a UK Government service which refuses to recognise UK Government issued documents. This is a nonsense. There must be some form of process that can be used by Government Agencies that is not reliant on third party providers who cannot recognise official documents without a credit history. PS we cannot go a Post Office as we are having to self-isolate due to Covid-19. Please can HMRC provide a more useful response to those already provided which get you absolutely nowhere. Thank you.

abidemi
Posts:33
Joined:Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:12 pm

Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby abidemi » Tue May 12, 2020 6:21 pm

I agree! It is a pain! It is ironic that we are so compliant in submitting tax returns and yet get no help in doing so!

robbob
Posts:3228
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:01 pm

Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby robbob » Wed May 13, 2020 8:48 am

that my husband has to set up a personal tax account and that, of course, involves using the Verify route.
Hello again abidemi

https://www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account/sign-in/create-account?_ga=1618489833.1585161746


Without doing a full registration i don't know if you will hit a stumbling block but have you tried the "Create a Government Gateway account" route from the initial screen (linked above) this is a separate choice from going down the create a Create a "GOV.UK Verify account" account that is on the same link. I am guessing though that you may hit the same stumbling block via this link in that it may require some of the same proof of id you don;t have - i don't think the verify.gov section is used here though but i may be wrong.

after you have chosen gateway - select continue to your account on next page and "create sign in details" the page after that - that takes you to a page where you start by entering your email address.

the last shot is the option to sign in using a european identy - i have linked that optoon here - i dont know if that is an option and where you end up if it is an option.
https://www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account/sign-in/prove-identity

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby etf » Wed May 13, 2020 9:35 am

Copied below is HMRC's response to the earlier post that I copied to this thread:

HMRC offer three methods to verify identity: Government Gateway, Gov.UK Verify and digital identity from certain participating European countries.

If you are having trouble using Gov.UK Verify or wish to leave feedback regarding it then you can do so in the relevant sections of the gov.uk/verify website.

The decision to use these methods or possibility of an alternate method, is not something we can comment on this forum and your concerns would likely best be put in writing as this is essentially a matter of policy.

Gov.UK Verify, for example, is built by the Government Digital Service (GDS) in collaboration with multiple government departments and the Privacy and Consumer Advisory Group.


I do have some sympathy for HMRC as they are probably in a no win situation. Set the bar too high and you receive flack on forums/set the bar too low and hackers access records (I suspect Madonna & Co prefer the high bar). That said, it can be a very frustrating process especially when it takes you back to where you started from (a bit like me trying to repair my 1970s charity shop bike over the weekend).

robbob
Posts:3228
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:01 pm

Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby robbob » Wed May 13, 2020 9:54 am

I do have some sympathy for HMRC as they are probably in a no win situation. Set the bar too high and you receive flack on forums/set the bar too low and hackers access records (I suspect Madonna & Co prefer the high bar). That said, it can be a very frustrating process especially when it takes you back to where you started from (a bit like me trying to repair my 1970s charity shop bike over the weekend).
I have no such sympathy for hmrc in this situation- hmrc are being ridiculous if the process does not work via online application for the op.

This individual has an established utr and ni number and already proved that they exist to hmrc (presumably) - the gateway approach has always worked previously by sending out physical activation code to the known address on record linked to the already active tax record - can you advise where the danger is in such an approach?, if that route has been taken away hmrc are being truly ridiculous IMHO- i don't see how any two minute online replacement test can be safer.Note i am not saying any system is 100% safe. Note it would be very easy for hmrc to add extra security measure that code also had to be typed in via registered mobile number and they could add that feature of they so chose as they already do that when on logs in.

etf
Posts:1278
Joined:Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby etf » Wed May 13, 2020 10:55 am

Okay robbob, I'll bow to your superior knowledge in this area and hereby retract my vote of sympathy.

I did actually look at my bank card reader when composing my earlier post and wonder whether that type of arrangement might offer a solution.

abidemi
Posts:33
Joined:Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:12 pm

Re: Problems registering for online assessment

Postby abidemi » Wed May 13, 2020 2:28 pm

We are pretty sure that it is my husband's non uk passport that causes the problem. Government Gatewy is definitely out of the question if you do not have a British passport and the third party companies won’t accept his application either so we are stuck on paper returns.


Return to “HMRC Administration, Practices & Methods”