Last week HMRC published a revised version of the terms and conditions for using its online services. These terms and conditions sit across all of HMRC’s online services. Read the email below from HMRC explaining the revised terms.
Email from HMRC
“The new terms and conditions have been changed in three ways:
- They have been brought into line with digital accessibility requirements by removing complicated numbering, rationalising duplicated content and adopting the GOV.UK format.
- They make clear that individual taxpayers should never share their personal login credentials with anyone, including their agent.
- They also clarify that agents should not ask for, or use, their clients’ personal login credentials.
These changes are necessary because HMRC has identified threats to the tax system that work by exploiting personal login credentials. Sharing personal login credentials exposes customers to a greater risk of fraud.
Publication of the revised terms and conditions will be accompanied by HMRC messaging to customers and agents across social media and other channels including our Agent Update, with emphasis on the importance of keeping personal login credentials safe. The Virtual Communications Group have been consulted on this messaging and their feedback has been taken on board.
We are asking agents to help us protect customers by not asking for or using their client’s HMRC login credentials to access their Personal Tax Account or Business Tax Account. If they need to access their clients’ information then agents should obtain the correct authorisation from their clients and use HMRC’s agent digital services.
If they cannot get their clients' information using agent digital services, then we recommend they ask their clients to log into their Personal Tax Account or Business Tax Account and provide the information or contact HMRC.
Using the right authorisation process will help ensure they can access the right data through the right channel to deal with their client’s tax affairs.
We’re aware that the Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation (PCRT) document currently only advises against agents using personal login credentials, and caveats that it may be acceptable in exceptional circumstances. We have heard feedback that the lack of consistent ability for agents to see and do what their clients can across all HMRC services can drive the use of customer credentials by some agents. We would like to explore this further with you, as well as the ways agents currently obtain the information and what the alternatives are.”
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