Accessing your business tax account

Multi-factor authentication on Government Gateway accounts, including the business tax account (BTA), means getting the access code pinged to your phone.

Sometimes, however, it all hits a brick wall. What do you do if you want to change the phone number linked to your BTA? Or change how you get the code? These are very frequently asked questions.

Ironically, you need to log into your BTA to do it. But if that’s not possible – in other words, if neither you, nor anyone in your business set up as an administrator, can log in, you’re not stuck in an endless loop. The best port of call is HMRC’s Online Services Helpdesk. The phone number is 0300 200 3600, and the line is open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday.

Advice from HMRC

If you can log in, HMRC advises trying the following:

• Select the Manage account link shown on the top menu bar.
• Under the account details heading, select the View or change your account details link.
• Next to the Government Gateway details heading, select the Manage your Government Gateway details link.
• Select the How you get access codes link.
• Changing, adding, or deleting the entries on that screen as required.

What if you can’t log in?

If the problem is that you can’t log in, but someone else in your business who is an administrator can, get them to:

• Select the Manage account link shown on the top menu bar.
• Select the Add or delete a team member link.
• Select the Manage link for the required team member.
• Select the Remove (name of user) security preferences link.

As we move more and more towards complete digitalisation including the long-awaited introduction of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax due in April 2024, it is important that you can access your Government Gateway account as key information from HMRC will be shared with you through this account.

Get in touch

If you have any questions on the practical aspects of dealing with HMRC, please do not hesitate to contact one of our tax experts. Rayner Essex also can also assist you in all aspects of making tax digital or cloud accounting and help you simplify your digital processes.