Government Gateway is the sign-in service for HMRC's online services. An account has a 12-digit user ID and a password, and is used to file returns, view tax accounts and authorise software.
What it is
A Government Gateway account is how HMRC knows who is signing in. There are three kinds: individual, for your personal tax; organisation, for a company, partnership or sole trader business; and agent, for accountants acting for clients. Each tax a business deals with is added to its account as a separate service.
HMRC is gradually moving its services to GOV.UK One Login, but Government Gateway remains in use for business taxes.
In Tax Optimiser
- VAT and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: you are sent to HMRC to sign in with your Government Gateway details and grant Tax Optimiser authority. HMRC asks you to renew this every 18 months.
- Corporation Tax: the Government Gateway user ID and password for the company, or for its agent, are entered when you submit the CT600.
Heads up — the account you sign in with must be the one enrolled for that tax. Signing in with a personal account when the business account is needed is the most common cause of a failed connection.
Read more: Connecting to HMRC for Making Tax Digital, Connecting VAT to HMRC and Submitting your Corporation Tax return.