Your Personal Tax Account (PTA) is HMRC’s online hub for managing your tax affairs. It is used for checking your tax code, viewing your income and National Insurance record, claiming refunds, and more.
Here’s how to access it, including a change HMRC made recently.
What’s the difference between the personal tax account and Government Gateway
These two terms get used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing:
- Government Gateway (or now, GOV.UK One Login) is your set of sign-in credentials — the key.
- Personal Tax Account is the actual service where your tax information lives — the room the key opens.
Changes in how to access the HMRC personal tax account in 2026
Since February 2026, new individual taxpayers signing in to HMRC services for the first time are asked to create a GOV.UK One Login account rather than a Government Gateway account.
If you already had a Government Gateway account before that date, you’re able to keep using it for now, as HMRC is moving existing users across in phases over time. Sole traders and the self-employed still use Government Gateway for their business-related services.
If this is your first time setting up a personal tax account on HMRC, you’ll most likely be creating a One Login. If you’ve used HMRC online services before, your existing Government Gateway login should still work.
Before signing in to a personal tax account, here’s what you need
Setting up an account for the first time with HMRC will require identification methods as well as contextual information relating to your financial situation.
Often, the identity verification is the step most people get stuck on, so we’d recommend having the following prepared ahead of signing up:
- National Insurance number
- Passport or driving licence
- A recent payslip or P60
- Access to a mobile phone (for two-step verification)
- Details from a credit-related account (mobile contract, loan, or credit card) if asked.
How to sign in or set up your personal tax account
Step 1: Go to GOV.UK directly
Search “Personal tax account: sign in or set up” or type the address in yourself. It’s important that you never click a link from an email or text claiming to be from HMRC, as this is a common scam route.
Step 2: Click “Start now.”
After this, you’ll be taken to the sign-in page.
Step 4: Choose to sign in or create new sign-in details
New users will be guided into setting up GOV.UK One Login from the beginning, whereas returning users sign in with their existing Government Gateway ID and password.
Step 5: Verify your email address
You’ll be sent a confirmation code to enter. Without verification, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to take any further actions on your account.
Step 6: Set up two-step verification
You’ll need access to a mobile phone for a text code, an automated call, or an authenticator app, such as Microsoft Authenticator. This is a required step for accessing your personal tax account and can’t be skipped.
Step 7: Verify your identity
HMRC will ask for information such as your passport, driving licence, National Insurance number, or details from your credit record (like a recent mobile contract or loan). Have a couple of these ready before you start.
Step 8: Note your login details somewhere secure
If you’re issued a Government Gateway user ID, it’s a 12-character reference separate from your email and National Insurance number, write it down straightaway, as it’s awkward (though not impossible) to recover when accessing your personal tax account in the future.
Step 9: You’re in
From your new personal tax account you can check your tax code, view your income and employment history, see your State Pension forecast, check or claim tax refunds, and access Self Assessment if you’re registered for it.
A quicker way to access your personal tax account
While many people prefer to access their account on a browser on their computer, HMRC also provide the option of a free app you can use instead.
This app, available on iOS (Apple) and Android (Google) devices, links directly to your personal tax account, and is often a fast and easy way to check your tax code or National Insurance record on the go.
What if I’ve forgotten my login details?
- If you’ve forgotten your Government Gateway user ID, use the “I have forgotten my user ID” link on the sign-in page, and HMRC will send recovery options to your registered email.
- For lost access to your two-step verification phone number, you’ll need to contact HMRC directly to verify your identity another way and reset your account.
- Should your identity verification keeps failing, (this can happen if your credit file details don’t match what HMRC holds), you can try again with different documents, contact HMRC’s helpline, or in some cases verify in person at a Post Office.
- If your account has been locked after too many failed sign-in attempts, HMRC locks the account for a couple of hours before you can try again.
Avoiding scams posed as HMRC
HMRC will never email or text you a link asking you to “update your details” or log in. If you get a message like this, don’t click through. Instead, go to GOV.UK directly and sign in from there.
Frequently asked questions about personal tax accounts
Do I need a personal tax account?
It’s not legally required, but it’s the easiest way to keep an eye on your own tax affairs. Once set up, you can check your tax code is correct, see what HMRC holds on your income and National Insurance record, claim a refund, and view or file your Self Assessment return, all without having to call HMRC directly.
Is the HMRC app the same as my personal tax account?
Not quite, they’re two ways into the same information. The personal tax account is the service itself, viewable through a browser, while the HMRC app is a mobile-friendly front door that links directly to it. Signing in through either one gives you access to the same underlying tax record.
How long does identity verification take?
For most people it only takes a few minutes if you have your documents ready, since it’s mostly a matter of answering questions HMRC can cross-check instantly against your passport, driving licence or credit file. It can take longer, or need a follow-up call to HMRC, if your details don’t match what they hold or if you don’t have the right documents to hand.
Can I access my personal tax account without a Government Gateway ID?
Yes, if you’re setting up a personal tax account for the first time since February 2026, you won’t be asked for a Government Gateway ID at all. Instead, you’ll create a GOV.UK One Login instead. If you already have a Government Gateway ID from before that date, you can continue using it until HMRC moves your account across in a later phase.
Speak to our personal tax accountants today
If you’re struggling to access your personal tax account on HMRC, or you’re not sure what you’re looking for, feel free to get in touch.
Our trusted team of tax accountants help clients make sense of their tax code, PAYE record and Self Assessment statuses every year.
Contact us on 0800 999 1800 or send us an enquiry to discuss how you can reduce your tax to the lowest levels possible (in accordance with UK tax laws).
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