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Where Taxpayers and Advisers Meet
HMRC deny online security speculation
29/01/2008, by Sarah Laing, Tax News - HMRC Administration, Practice and Methods
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HMRC have issued a statement stating that speculation in the press concerning online services security is completely untrue.

Following news coverage over the weekend which revealed that MPs and certain high profile individuals cannot file their tax returns online for security reasons HMRC have issued the following statement:

"Some newspapers and broadcast media have claimed that HMRC's online filing systems are not secure because Members of Parliament and a small number of other taxpayers cannot use the Self Assessment service.

This is completely untrue. A small minority of taxpayers, including MPs, cannot currently use online services because the additional internal safeguards on their records mean that their taxpayer reference numbers are not recognised on the authentication system.

This therefore has nothing to do with the security of our online services. HMRC online services use the highest levels of encryption generally available and authentication processes similar to online banks.

HMRC is continuing to explore ways to extend online filing to all taxpayers.

Almost 3 million Self Assessment taxpayers have used SA online to file their return safely and securely."

Link

HMRC: Online Services - secure and safe to use

About The Author

Sarah Laing
Editor, TaxationWeb News

Sarah is a Chartered Tax Adviser. She has been writing professionally since joining CCH Editions in 1998 as a Senior Technical Editor, contributing to a range of highly regarded publications including the British Tax Reporter, Taxes - The Weekly Tax News, the Red & Green legislation volumes, Hardman's, International Tax Agreements and many others. She became Publishing Manager for the tax and accounting portfolio in 2001 and later went on to help run CCH Seminars (including ABG Courses and Conferences).

Sarah originally worked for the Inland Revenue in Newbury and Swindon Tax Offices, before moving out into practice in 1991. She has worked for both small and Big 5 firms. She now works as a freelance author providing technical writing services for the tax and accountancy profession.

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