Your HMRC personal tax account is a free, secure online service at gov.uk/personal-tax-account that brings your tax details together in one place. You can check your tax code and Income Tax estimate, claim a refund, view your State Pension forecast, find your National Insurance number and UTR, and tell HMRC about a change of name or address. You sign in with a Government Gateway user ID or a GOV.UK One Login.
Most people only speak to HMRC when something has gone wrong. The personal tax account exists so you do not have to: it is the self-service dashboard for your own tax affairs, open 24 hours a day. This guide explains what it does, how to set it up, the difference between it and the HMRC app, and what to do when you cannot sign in. Every figure below was re-checked against gov.uk on 15 October 2026.
What is the HMRC personal tax account?
The HMRC personal tax account is a free online service that lets an individual check, update and manage their tax details with HMRC in one place, at any time. It covers Income Tax, your tax code, Self Assessment, State Pension, National Insurance, Child Benefit and Marriage Allowance, without needing to call or write to HMRC.
According to GOV.UK, you can use your personal tax account to:
- check your Income Tax estimate and tax code;
- submit, view or manage a Self Assessment tax return;
- claim a tax refund;
- check and manage your Child Benefit;
- check your income from work in the previous 5 years and how much Income Tax you paid;
- check your State Pension forecast;
- check whether you would benefit from paying voluntary National Insurance;
- track tax forms you have submitted online;
- check or update your Marriage Allowance;
- tell HMRC about a change of name or address;
- check or update company benefits such as a company car or medical insurance;
- find your National Insurance number and your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR).
It is the individual equivalent of the business tax account that companies and the self-employed use for VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax. If you are employed and have no other income, the personal tax account is usually the only HMRC service you will ever need.
How do you set up and sign in to your personal tax account?
To set up your personal tax account, go to gov.uk/personal-tax-account and sign in. There are two ways to sign in: a Government Gateway user ID and password, or a GOV.UK One Login using your email address. New individual customers now create a GOV.UK One Login; existing Government Gateway users keep their current ID until HMRC invites them to switch.
The sign-in rules changed in 2026. From 9 February 2026, an individual who does not already have a Government Gateway account creates a GOV.UK One Login using just an email address and password, rather than a 10 to 12 digit Government Gateway ID. If you already have a Government Gateway account, you do not need to do anything yet: you carry on using it and HMRC will contact you when it is time to move across. Either route takes you to the same HMRC online services dashboard.
Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login: which do you use?
The right sign-in route depends on whether you already have a Government Gateway account. The table below shows which one applies to you.
| Your situation | How you sign in |
|---|---|
| You already have a Government Gateway user ID | Keep using your Government Gateway ID and password until HMRC invites you to switch to One Login |
| You are new to HMRC online services (from 9 Feb 2026) | Create a GOV.UK One Login with your email address and password |
| You have a One Login for another service (for example DBS or DVLA) | You can reuse the same One Login to access HMRC |
What you need to prove your identity
The first time you set up access, HMRC has to confirm you are who you say you are. Have your National Insurance number and one or two forms of identity ready, such as a UK passport, a photocard driving licence, or details from a recent payslip or P60. Identity verification is now handled through GOV.UK One Login, including the option to use the One Login ID Check app, which we explain in our guide to HMRC identity verification and GOV.UK One Login. If you cannot find your NI number, our guide on what to do if you have lost your National Insurance number shows how to get it back.
What can you do in your personal tax account?
The personal tax account replaces most of the reasons people used to phone HMRC. The most-used tasks are checking and correcting your tax code, claiming a refund, and checking your State Pension. The table below maps the common jobs to what the account does and when you would use it.
| Task | What it does |
|---|---|
| Check your tax code | Shows your current code (for example 1257L) and how HMRC worked it out, so you can spot an error early |
| Claim a tax refund | Lets you claim money back where you have overpaid, instead of waiting for a P800 letter |
| Check your State Pension | Shows your forecast and your National Insurance record, including any gaps |
| Update your details | Change your name, address or the benefits you get from work |
| Find your references | Retrieve your National Insurance number and UTR without calling HMRC |
A good example is your tax code. If the code looks wrong, say you have two jobs taxed as if each were your only income, the account shows the breakdown so you can challenge it. Our guide on how to check whether your tax code is wrong walks through the common mistakes, and if you have been overtaxed through an emergency code, how to claim back emergency tax explains the refund route. For 2026/27 the standard Personal Allowance is £12,570 (tax code 1257L), with Income Tax charged at 20% from £12,571 to £50,270, 40% from £50,271 to £125,140 and 45% above that. The allowance and thresholds are frozen until April 2031.
Checking your State Pension through the account
One of the most valuable features is the State Pension forecast. It shows how much new State Pension you are on track to get and where your record has gaps. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week for 2026/27, and you generally need 35 qualifying years of National Insurance to get the full amount and at least 10 qualifying years to get anything. Seeing the gaps early lets you decide whether paying voluntary contributions is worthwhile, which the account also helps you check.
Personal tax account, business tax account or the HMRC app?
These three are related but not the same. The personal tax account is for your own Income Tax affairs as an individual; the business tax account is for business taxes such as VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax; and the HMRC app is a mobile version that shows much of the same personal information. The table below sets out which to use.
| Service | Who it is for | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|
| Personal tax account | Individuals | Tax code, refunds, State Pension, Self Assessment, personal details |
| Business tax account | Businesses and the self-employed | VAT, PAYE for employers, Corporation Tax, Self Assessment for the self-employed |
| HMRC app | Individuals (mobile) | Check tax code, NI number, tax estimate and State Pension on a phone |
Is the HMRC app the same as the personal tax account?
Not quite. The HMRC app is a free mobile app that signs in with the same Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login details and shows much of the same personal information, such as your tax code, National Insurance number and State Pension forecast. It is handy for quick checks, but some tasks, such as managing a Self Assessment return in full, are easier in the browser-based personal tax account. If you run a business, you will still use your business tax account for VAT and PAYE rather than the personal account.
What if you cannot sign in to your personal tax account?
If you cannot sign in, the usual causes are a forgotten Government Gateway user ID or password, a change of phone that breaks your access code, or failed identity verification. HMRC's sign in help pages let you recover a lost user ID or password and reset your access codes, and you can switch your security to a new phone number.
- Forgotten user ID or password: use the recover options on the sign-in page; HMRC emails or texts a reset link.
- Lost access to your authentication code: if you have changed phone, you can update the number HMRC sends your access code to, or use a backup method.
- Identity check fails: try a different document, or use the GOV.UK One Login ID Check app to confirm your identity with a photo and a scan of your passport or licence.
- Two accounts by mistake: if you accidentally created a second Government Gateway or One Login, sign in with the original to avoid your records being split.
If you are still locked out, HMRC's online services helpdesk can help, but the self-service recovery options clear up the large majority of problems without a call.
Sources
- Personal tax account: sign in or set up, GOV.UK
- HMRC online services: sign in or set up an account, GOV.UK
- Accessing HMRC online services using GOV.UK One Login, GOV.UK
- Check your State Pension forecast, GOV.UK
- Check your Income Tax for the current year, GOV.UK
- Tax codes, GOV.UK
Want your tax affairs handled for you? Book a free call with a Zmartly accountant and we will check your tax code, claim any refund you are owed and keep your Self Assessment right. Talk to a Zmartly accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HMRC personal tax account free to use?
Yes. The personal tax account is a free HMRC service. There is no charge to set it up or use it, whether you sign in with a Government Gateway user ID or a GOV.UK One Login. You only need internet access and proof of your identity the first time you register.
How do I sign in to my personal tax account?
Go to gov.uk/personal-tax-account and sign in with your Government Gateway user ID and password, or with a GOV.UK One Login using your email address. From 9 February 2026, new individual customers create a One Login; existing Government Gateway users keep their ID until HMRC invites them to switch.
What is the difference between a personal tax account and a business tax account?
The personal tax account is for your own Income Tax affairs as an individual, such as your tax code, refunds and State Pension. The business tax account is for business taxes such as VAT, PAYE for employers and Corporation Tax. Many self-employed people use both: the business account for Self Assessment and the personal account for their own records.
Can I check my tax code in my personal tax account?
Yes. Your personal tax account shows your current tax code and how HMRC calculated it, so you can check it is right. For 2026/27 the standard code is 1257L, reflecting the £12,570 Personal Allowance. If the code looks wrong, the account shows the breakdown so you can tell HMRC to correct it.
Why can I not sign in to my personal tax account?
The usual reasons are a forgotten Government Gateway user ID or password, a lost authentication code after changing phone, or a failed identity check. HMRC's sign-in help pages let you recover your details, reset access codes and update your phone number, which fixes most problems without needing to call.
Is the HMRC app the same as the personal tax account?
No, but they overlap. The HMRC app is a mobile app that uses the same sign-in and shows much of the same personal information, such as your tax code, National Insurance number and State Pension forecast. Some tasks, such as managing a full Self Assessment return, are easier in the browser-based personal tax account.
