We are always looking for ways to help you manage your finances efficiently and stay on top of your tax obligations. We want to bring your attention to a valuable tool that can simplify your financial life: the HMRC app.

The HMRC app is a free, secure mobile application that allows you to access and manage your personal tax and benefit information from your smartphone or tablet. It's designed to give you greater control and visibility over your financial dealings with HMRC, reducing the need for phone calls and paperwork.

Key Features and Benefits of the HMRC App

Once you've downloaded the app and signed in securely using your Government Gateway ID and password, you can use a six-digit PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition for fast and secure access in the future. Here's a breakdown of the key features and how they can benefit you:

Quick Access to Your Tax Information

The app puts essential information right at your fingertips, including:

• Your Tax Code: Instantly view your current tax code to ensure you are being taxed correctly. You can also view your income and tax deductions for the current and previous tax years.
• Your National Insurance Number (NINO): A common query that often requires a phone call to HMRC. The app provides instant access to your NINO, and you can even save it to your digital wallet for easy reference.
• Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR): For our self-employed clients, your UTR is available in the app, which is a key piece of information for managing your Self-Assessment.

Managing Your Self-Assessment

For those who complete a Self-Assessment tax return, the app is an invaluable tool for staying organized and on schedule.

• View Your Tax Bill: Easily see how much tax you owe for the current and previous tax years.
• Make Payments: The app allows you to make secure Self-Assessment payments directly from your bank account using a feature called 'open banking', which can reduce the chance of payment errors.
• Set Reminders: You can set payment reminders to ensure you never miss a deadline.

Keeping Track of Your State Pension and National Insurance

Planning for the future is crucial, and the HMRC app makes it easier to do so.

• State Pension Forecast: Get a forecast of your State Pension, including the estimated weekly amount and the date you can start receiving it.
• Check Your NI Record: You can check your National Insurance contributions record, identify any gaps, and even see if you can make voluntary payments to top them up.

Claiming and Managing Child Benefit

For parents, the app simplifies the process of managing Child Benefit.

• Make a Claim: You can claim Child Benefit directly through the app.
• View Payments and Update Details: Check your payment history and easily update your bank details, ensuring you receive your payments on time.

Paperless Communication

Tired of sifting through paper letters? You can opt to go paperless and receive important communications from HMRC directly in the app or your online account. This not only helps the environment but also keeps your correspondence organized in one secure place.

Updating Your Personal Information

The app makes it simple to keep your details up-to-date with HMRC, which is essential for ensuring you receive the correct communications and tax deductions. You can easily update your name, address, and bank details in a few quick steps.

Managing Your Business Tax Account

The HMRC app does not allow you to directly view or manage business taxes in the same way a dedicated HMRC Business Tax Account does. It primarily focuses on personal tax affairs, such as checking your tax code, Income Tax, National Insurance, State Pension, Child Benefit, and making Self-Assessment payments. While it can be used by self-employed individuals to view their Self-Assessment details (e.g., Unique Taxpayer Reference and tax owed) and make payments, it does not provide comprehensive access to other business taxes like Corporation Tax, VAT, or PAYE for employers.

For business taxes, you need to use the HMRC Business Tax Account, an online portal separate from the app, which allows you to manage over 40 business taxes, including Corporation Tax, VAT, and PAYE. You can access this through the HMRC website using a Government Gateway user ID and password. The app may link to some online services for Self-Assessment, but core business tax management, such as submitting VAT returns or managing Corporation Tax, must be done via the Business Tax Account on the HMRC website.

If you’re self-employed, the app can help with some tasks like checking your Self-Assessment tax bill or making payments, but for broader business tax management, you’ll need to use the online Business Tax Account. If you have an accountant, they can manage these taxes through their own HMRC agent services account without needing your app login details.

For more details on setting up or using a Business Tax Account, visit https://www.gov.uk/use-hmrc-business-tax-account.

Our Recommendation

While the HMRC app is a fantastic tool for managing your personal and some business tax affairs, it's important to remember that it doesn't replace the expert advice we provide. We can still help you with complex tax matters, provide strategic advice, and ensure you are fully compliant. We encourage all our clients to download the HMRC app to take advantage of its convenient features. It's a powerful resource for staying informed and in control of your tax and benefits, freeing up your time for what matters most.

If you have any questions about the app or how it interacts with the services we provide, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Additional Reading

Please see our other articles in the series,‍

Step-by-Step Guide to the HMRC App‍

Beyond the App: A Look at HMRC's Digital Future

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