Check genuine HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method
Check recent contacts from HMRC to help you decide if a suspicious email, phone call, text or letter could be a scam.
Sometimes HMRC uses more than one way to get in touch. For example, we may contact you by letter first before following up with an email, call or text message. This is because:
- it can provide an extra level of security
- it can help prepare customers for the follow up contact
- these are the contact details HMRC has for you
All the HMRC contacts listed on this page can use more than one communication method. They are in alphabetical order.
Effects of the super-deduction
From 17 January 2022 up to and including 11 April 2022, we will contact you by email or letter.
HMRC will work with the independent agency Ipsos MORI to carry out research. This research will explore the effects of the super-deduction and help to inform future policy.
You may receive an email or letter from Ipsos MORI and HMRC to tell you about the research and invite you to take part.
Taking part is voluntary and if you do take part, all responses will be confidential. Any information given will be used for research purposes only.
If you need further information, contact details for both Ipsos MORI and HMRC will be on the letter or email.
HMRC text numbers
HMRC is using a new number to send text messages to customers. This may be different to one you have received a text from in the past.
HMRC will not ask for any personal or financial details in a text message.
Logging into your HMRC tax account with multi-factor authentication
We will contact you by text message or automated voice call.
Multi-factor authentication is an extra security feature for customers which replaces 2-step verification. It helps prevent someone else from accessing a customer’s digital account, even if they know the user ID and password. HMRC will send an access code by text message or voice call to your chosen mobile phone or landline number to activate the multi-factor authorisation. You will need this code to complete the access.
These text messages and voice calls will never ask you to give personal or financial information.
If you have activated multi-factor authentication you’ll only be able to access the account using the:
- Government Gateway user ID and password
- mobile or landline device which you have registered
National Minimum Wage and employment
We will contact you by letter, phone or email.
HMRC may sometimes contact employees to discuss details of their current or previous employment.
If we call you, we’ll:
- tell you our enquiry is about the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage
- ask you basic questions about your current work or previous employment experiences
- complete some standard security questions
We’ll never ask for personal financial information such as bank details without writing to you first.
You can ask us not to tell your current or previous employer about the call.
HMRC will also contact employers in relation to National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage enquiries.
To check that this contact is genuine you should:
- have a copy of the letter or email you’ve received from National Minimum Wage to hand
- tell us the details of the person who called you from National Minimum Wage
- call 03000 557 755 (find out about call charges)
If you have received a letter, email, text or phone call from another HMRC office you can call the Income Tax general enquiry helpline to check this contact is genuine.
National Minimum Wage common errors
We will contact you by email or letter.
HMRC may contact employers or third parties to share information on common errors with the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage. The email will provide links to further information and support.
HMRC may contact employees by letter to provide information on common errors to look out for in their pay.
The letter will explain how to make a National Minimum Wage complaint and contain links to further information and support.
To check this contact is genuine you should:
- have a copy of the letter or email you’ve received about National Minimum Wage to hand
- telephone 03000 557 755 (find out about call charges)
Overseas businesses that sell digital services to UK consumers
We will contact you by email and letter.
HMRC is contacting overseas businesses who sell digital services to UK consumers about their UK VAT obligations by email and letter.
This communication will explain why we are contacting them, and ask them to contact us. We will not ask for any personal, business or financial information.
Payment of Class 2 National Insurance Contributions through Self Assessment
From November 2021 up to and including February 2022, we will contact you by letter, phone call or both.
HMRC is working with independent research agency Ipsos MORI to carry out research.
The research aims to understand how self-employed individuals and agents experienced the payment mechanism change for Class 2 National Insurance Contributions. This changed from direct debit or bi-annual billing to Self Assessment.
You may receive a letter, phone call or both to invite you to take part.
Taking part is voluntary and all responses will be confidential. Any information you give will be used for research purposes only.
Repayments research
FromBetween 25 February 2022 up to and including 22 April 2022, we will contact you by letter, email or phone call.
HMRC is working with independent research agency Kantar Public UK to carry out research.
The research aims to understand views on HMRC’s service and support when dealing with tax repayments. For example, when an individual has over-paid on their tax and are due a repayment from HMRC.
You may receive a letter, phone call, or email inviting you to take part. Taking part is voluntary and any information you give will be:
- confidential
- used for research purposes only
Research into self-assessment and VAT repayment systems
From February 2022 up to and including May 2022, we will contact you by letter or phone call.
HMRC are working with independent research agency NatCen Social Research to carry out research.
During this time, you may receive a letter from HMRC telling you about this research and a phone call from from NatCen Social Research asking you to take part.
The research is on the tax repayment claim process. It’s aimed at Self-Assessment and VAT customers who have made a repayment claim and will ask about their:
- circumstances
- thought processes
- experiences
Taking part is voluntary. If you do take part, your response and any information given will be:
- confidential
- anonymous
- used for research purposes only
Research into the impact of full controls on customs intermediaries
From 15 February up to and including 31 March 2022, we will contact you by letter or phone call.
HMRC will work with independent agencies to carry out interviews as part of research. The interviews will inform a survey and will:
- look into the impact of full controls on customs intermediaries
- help HMRC support customs intermediaries and make sure trade runs smoothly
You may receive a letter or phone call from Ipsos MORI inviting you to take part in one of these interviews.
Taking part is voluntary. If you do take part, your answers will be confidential. Any information you give will be anonymous and used for research purposes only.
Research on agent experiences of HMRC’s digital services
FromBetween 14 February 2022 up to and including 31 May 2022, we will contact you by letter then phone call.
HMRC is working with independent research agency Kantar, to carry out quantitative research.
The aim of the research is to:
- understand tax agents’ experiences of HMRC’s digital services
- improve HMRC’s digital services
You may receive a letter from HMRC asking you to take part in the research. You may then receive a phone call from Kantar inviting you to take part in a survey.
Taking part in this research is voluntary but we encourage you to do so. If you do, your answers will be confidential and used for research purposes only.
Taking part in this research will not affect any of your dealings with HMRC.
Research letters about the disability element of Tax Credits
From 10 February 2022 up to and including 1 June 2022, we will contact you by letter or phone call.
HMRC will be working with an independent research agency called IFF Research.
They will carry out research to understand customer engagement with HMRC around the disability elements of Tax Credits.
You may receive a letter from IFF research on behalf of HMRC inviting you to an interview or focus group. These will be carried out by phone call or online.
Taking part is voluntary. All answers and information given will be:
- confidential
- used for research purposes only
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Single Trade Window research
From 11 January 2022 up to and including 11 March 2022 we will contact you by letter, email or phone.
HMRC is working with independent research agency Kantar Public to carry out research on the Single Trade Window. We may contact you if you’ve recently:
- taken part in the HMRC Trader Survey
- given permission to be contacted for other HMRC research on trade
The Single Trade Window aims to simplify importing and exporting goods for businesses. It provides a single entry point for data required for goods movements.
The research will explore what factors would influence traders’ usage of the Single Trade Window, including:
- features of the Single Trade Window
- available government support
- considerations around data sharing
You may receive a letter, email or phone call from Kantar to:
- tell you about the research
- invite you to take part in an interview
Taking part is voluntary. If you do take part your answers and any information given will:
- be confidential
- only be used for research purposes
- help improve the development of the Single Trade Window
If you need further information, you can find contact details for Kantar Public and HMRC in the letter and email.
Statutory notices requesting information
We will contact you by phone, letter or email.
HMRC’s Data Acquisition and Exchange regularly issues statutory notices to the holders of certain types of information, asking them to provide relevant details to HMRC. The holders of the information have a legal obligation to provide the data requested.
The notices requesting information can be sent by post or email.
Notices issued by email will contain a link to this webpage, so you can see that HMRC is using email for this purpose.
Tax relief evaluations
From 1 July 2021 up to and including 30 June 2022, we will contact you by letter or phone.
Independent agencies will carry out interviews as part of a series of evaluations on a range of tax reliefs.
This will help HMRC to evaluate the effects of these tax reliefs.
You may receive a letter or phone call from IFF Research, Ipsos MORI, or Kantar Public inviting you to take part in these evaluations.
Taking part is entirely voluntary. If you do take part, your answers will be confidential. Any information you give will be made anonymous and used for evaluation purposes only.
Traders survey
From 18 January 2022 up to and including 2510 March 2022 we will contact you by letter, email or phone.
HMRC will carry out research with independent research agency Ipsos MORI. The aim of the research is to understand how businesses are continuing to trade with the EU since the Brexit transition period ended.
You may receive a letter or phone call from Ipsos MORI telling you about the research and inviting you to an interview.
Taking part is voluntary but we encourage you to do so. This will help HMRC to develop and improve the existing advice and guidance it offers to businesses on how to trade with the EU.
Any information you give will be:
- anonymous
- confidential
- used for research purposes only
Trust survey
From 20 January up to and including 29 April 2022, we will contact you by email or letter.
On behalf of HMRC, Kantar Public will be asking taxpayers to take part in research about trust in HMRC.
This research will explore levels of trust in the organisation and its influencers. The results will inform service design to improve customer experience.
You’ll receive either a letter or email from Kantar inviting you to take part in the survey.
The letter or email will not ask for any personal or financial information.
VAT register inactivity
We will contact you by phone or email.
HMRC is contacting customers who are believed to no longer need to hold a VAT registration number due to recent inactivity on their VAT account. You may receive a phone call or email, with the email referring to VAT register inactivity.
The phone calls or emails will ask you to confirm whether you still require to be VAT registered, and to provide some basic information on where you’re trading.
The calls or emails will not ask for personal or financial information.
Last updated 4
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Added information on research on the Profit Diversion Compliance Facility and the Diverted Profits Investigation Approach, and the end date of the traders survey has been changed from 10 March 2022 to 25 March 2022.
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Added information on repayments research.
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Added information on research into self-assessment and VAT repayment systems.
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Added information on research to explore market shifts and behaviours relating to Stamp Duty.
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Information on research on agent experiences of HMRC's digital services has been added.
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Added section 'Research letters about the disability element of Tax Credits'.
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Added 'Research to improve HMRC communications for individuals and businesses' section.
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Added sections 'Research into the impact of full controls on customs intermediaries' and 'Traders survey'.
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Added sections Effects of the super-deduction, Single Trade Window research and Trust survey.
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Information on 'Payment of Class 2 National Insurance Contributions through Self Assessment' has been added.
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Information on further research on the HMRC Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme added.
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Information about the EU Settlement Scheme has been added.
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Information added about reform research for off-payroll working rules from 24 September 2021 to 10 December 2021.
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Information has been added about HMRC contacting CHIEF users who declare goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK and EU.
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Added 'Large Business Customer Experience Survey 2021' section.
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Information about Tax relief evaluations from 1 July 2021 to 31 June 2022 and Traders survey research from 27 August to 12 October 2021 added.
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Information about customer research on Corporation Tax reliefs from August 2021 to 30 September 2021 has been added.
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We have added information about customer research by HMRC from 12 August to 15 September by 2021.
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We have added research on detached workers and social security.
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Updated to show HMRC is using a new number to send text messages to customers.
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Added translation
Update history
2024-04-03 14:05
Information about tax code notice research has been added.
2024-03-26 12:38
Information about research into the cryptoasset industry and how people interact with video guidance has been added.
2024-03-15 09:54
Information about research for the impact of Making Tax Digital (MTD) on Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) customers and information about understanding the use of the Lifetime ISA has been added.
2024-03-07 08:13
Information about research to understand the impact of HMRC communications has been added. Information about GB-EU traders research and Making Tax Digital for Income Tax pilot have been removed as contact for these have ended.
2024-03-01 07:30
Information about Help to Save research, temporary Customer Compliance Manager service for mid-size businesses, and uncertain tax treatment research has been added.
2024-02-22 12:23
Information about the impact of government childcare support on working parents and the impact of border check processes on businesses research has been added.
2024-01-24 08:57
Information about Single Trade Window user testing, Enterprise Investment Schemes and Self Assessment customer communications research has been added.
2024-01-17 12:56
Information about VAT Penalty Reform research has been added.
2024-01-15 15:05
Information about business tax account research has been added. Information about safety and security declarations on EU imports research has been added. Information about The Large Business Survey 2023 has been removed as contact for this has ended.
2024-01-08 18:58
Information about GB-EU traders research and company structure and financial decision making research has been added.
2023-12-18 14:30
Information about Bulk Import Reduced Data Set (BIRDS) research has been added to the page.
2023-12-14 09:40
Information about identity verification and account set-up research has been added.
2023-12-01 00:20
Information about HMRC potentially contacting you about changes to your tax code has been added.
2023-11-29 14:25
Information about Employee Ownership Trusts has been added. Information about Help to Save research, Landlord research, Mid-sized Business Customer Survey, Offshore penalties regime – research into effectiveness, Small businesses’ interactions with HMRC, Vaping market research, VAT deregistration research and Venture Capital Reliefs – Understanding the customer journey have all been removed as contact for these have ended.
2023-11-13 11:50
Information about National Minimum Wage geographical compliance approach research has been added.
2023-10-31 14:28
Added translation
2023-10-30 14:53
Information about VAT visits and inspections has been added.
2023-10-24 09:42
Information about simplified mileage rates in the UK have been removed as contact for these have ended, updated translation
2023-10-17 14:23
Information about HMRC stakeholder engagement research has been added.
2023-10-17 12:27
Information on Venture Capital Reliefs had been updated to extend end date of contact
2023-10-13 15:17
added translation
2023-10-11 16:42
Information about GVMS (Goods Vehicle Movement Service) research has been added.
2023-10-05 10:44
Information about Understanding the customer journey of companies who seek investors by using Venture Capital Reliefs schemes has been added. Information about Electricity Generator Levy and measuring the impact of Making Tax Digital for VAT customers has been added. Information about Corporation Tax research, Employment status in the UK, VAT payable order repayments have been removed as contact for these have ended.
2023-09-04 12:55
Information about research on Help to Save and research on HMRC communications with customers who complete paper Self Assessments has been added.
2023-08-29 11:57
Information about Mid-sized Business Customer Survey research has been added.
2023-08-09 13:12
Research about businesses use of simplified mileage rates, customer experience of HMRC, and how customers authorise agents to interact with the HMRC added.
2023-08-03 11:31
Added translation
2023-07-26 08:39
Research regarding childcare providers engagement with Tax-Free Childcare, effectiveness of the offshore penalty regime, and the Large Business Survey 2023 added to the page. Impact of Making Tax Digital research removed as the contact dates for this ended on 21 July 2023.
2023-07-07 08:41
Information on the company names, and the dates they may contact you to take part in research on the experiences of businesses new to customs has been updated.
2023-07-03 12:07
Information about Lifetime ISAs research has been added. Information about employer pension salary sacrifice schemes, Income Tax Self Assessment research on future timely payment and research and development tax relief has been removed as contact for these has ended.
2023-06-20 14:23
Information about a Great Britain EU traders survey and Corporation Tax research has been added, and details about the schools outreach programme analysis, digital channels research and asset managers self-assessment feedback have been removed.
2023-06-07 15:27
Information about research and development tax relief has been added.
2023-06-02 00:15
Information has been added about Company structure and financial decision-making research, Impact of Making Tax Digital, Asset managers self-assessment feedback, and Landlord research.
2023-05-31 13:32
Information about VAT payable order repayments has been added.
2023-05-31 10:02
Information about research on the experiences of businesses new to customs has been added.
2023-05-26 12:12
We have removed ‘Impact of Making Tax Digital research’.
2023-05-17 11:45
Research on VAT deregistration, the vaping market, small businesses’ interactions with HMRC, and Self Assessment and paper communications, has been added. We have removed out-of-date information on: digital by default, electronic sales suppression, impact of Making Tax Digital for newly registered VAT customers, Income Tax for small businesses, VAT Flat Rate Scheme.
2023-04-26 12:52
Information has been added about Digital channels and Employer pension salary sacrifice schemes.
2023-04-12 15:07
Information about contact regarding Electronic Sales Suppression has been added.
2023-03-17 15:07
Added translation
2023-03-17 14:15
We have added two updates on research about employment status and Income Tax for small businesses.
2023-03-03 15:02
Added translation
2023-03-01 09:22
We have added information about a HMRC compliance check survey.
2023-02-28 08:55
We have added information about contact from HMRC on the Let Property Campaign. We have also updated the section Income Tax Self Assessment research on future timely payments. IFF Research will contact you by letter and then phone call from 20 February 2023 up to and including 28 June 2023. We have added information on Digital by default. HMRC may contact you about this between 20 February 2023 and 28 April 2023.
2023-02-15 10:28
Information about research on customs authorisations of UK businesses, temporary customer compliance manager support, the temporary customer compliance manager support survey, and VAT registration experience has been removed as contact for these has ended.
2023-02-06 09:30
Information about research into the impact of Making Tax Digital for newly registered VAT customers been added.
2023-02-02 10:57
Information about research on stakeholder engagement has been added.
2023-01-30 11:50
Information about the VAT on the Energy Bills Support Scheme has been added. Information about the Customs intermediaries monitoring survey has been removed as the contact dates for this ended on 23 January 2023.
2023-01-11 14:24
Information about research on making a payment to HMRC, Tax-Free Childcare and parent’s working patterns and data holder notices have been added. Information about the Large Business Customer Survey 2022 has been removed as the contact dates for this ended on 6 January 2023.
2023-01-09 12:52
Research into agents of wealthy customers has been extended from 30 December 2022 to 31 March 2023. In addition agents may now be contacted by email or letter then phone or video call.
2022-12-16 17:11
Information about research on Customs authorisations of UK Businesses, Customs declarations, Debt management payment plan questionnaire, Making Tax Digital for VAT, VAT Flat Rate Scheme and VAT registration experience has been added.
2022-12-13 14:23
Added translation
2022-12-08 14:00
Information about offshore advice for taxpayers and their advisors has been added. We have also added information on employer National Insurance contributions relief for veterans.
2022-12-01 16:04
Information about supply chains research has been added.
2022-11-28 10:05
Information about research into agents of wealthy customers and businesses recently in debt with HMRC has been added.
2022-11-21 15:22
Information about Income Tax Self Assessment research on future timely payment and information about the temporary Customer Compliance Manager support survey has been added.Information about Corporation Tax research and research on HMRC’s digital services has been removed as the contact dates for these ended on 18 November 2022.
2022-11-16 12:49
User research on employers’ experiences of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended from 17 November 2022 to 18 November 2022.
2022-11-14 16:16
Information on Child Benefit digital service research has been added.
2022-11-10 11:19
Research on employer benefits in kind has been extended from 30 November 2022 to 9 December 2022.
2022-11-04 10:39
Research on HMRC’s digital services has been extended from 31 October 2022 to 18 November 2022.
2022-11-03 08:54
User research on employers’ experiences of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended from 10 November 2022 to 17 November 2022.
2022-10-26 08:48
IFF Research on employer benefits in kind has been extended to 30 November 2022.
2022-10-18 15:39
Information on the Automatic Exchange of Information has been added. The customs intermediaries monitoring survey research will continue until 23 January 2023.
2022-10-05 10:13
Research on employers’ experiences of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will continue until 10 November 2022.
2022-10-03 11:16
Information on navigating between business taxes and personal taxes online research has been added.
2022-09-20 09:32
Updated because the research on employer’s experiences of the coronavirus job retention scheme has been extended to 7 October 2022.
2022-09-06 11:36
Information about research on HMRC’s digital services has been added.
2022-08-26 14:46
Information on Corporation Tax research has been added.
2022-08-24 09:55
Information on VAT return research has been added.
2022-08-23 09:04
Information on the Large Business Customer Survey 2022 and temporary Customer Compliance Manager support has been added.
2022-08-22 13:27
Added translation
2022-08-17 15:07
Information on the customer experience of HMRC has been added.
2022-08-12 17:09
Information on the Mid-sized business customer survey has been added.
2022-07-28 14:57
Information for businesses who use CHIEF for import declarations has been added.
2022-07-18 14:51
Information on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax pilot and employer benefits in kind has been added.
2022-07-05 14:52
Information on economic crime supervision and experiences of HMRC VAT registration has been added.
2022-06-28 13:35
Information on HMRC and HM Treasury’s 10 year Tax Administration Strategy has been added.
2022-06-20 16:07
Information on customs intermediaries’ experience and Making Tax Digital for VAT registered customers has been added.
2022-06-13 15:21
Information on the customs intermediaries monitoring survey has been added.
2022-06-09 14:13
Information about research on Capital Allowances has been added.
2022-06-06 13:41
Research into understanding tax administration for businesses has been extended from 27 May 2022 to 8 July 2022 and information about research for the Cycle to Work Scheme has been added.
2022-05-31 13:59
Added section on ‘Overseas businesses that sell goods on online marketplaces to UK consumers’.
2022-05-27 13:26
Added information on the government analysis schools outreach programme and employers’ experiences of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
2022-05-06 13:42
The information for the ‘Research to explore market shifts and behaviours relating to Stamp Duty’ section has been re-added as it has been extended.
2022-04-27 10:12
Added information on ‘Research to improve VAT services for small and micro businesses’.
2022-04-08 15:36
The section about tax relief evaluations has been updated with new contact information from 1 July 2021 to 30 November 2022.
2022-03-23 10:23
Added information on ‘Research into understanding tax administration for businesses’.
2022-03-07 10:50
Added section ‘Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) reminder to agents and companies’.
2022-03-04 10:12
Added information on research on the Profit Diversion Compliance Facility and the Diverted Profits Investigation Approach, and the end date of the traders survey has been changed from 10 March 2022 to 25 March 2022.
2022-02-22 13:25
Added information on repayments research.
2022-02-21 13:24
Added information on research into self-assessment and VAT repayment systems.
2022-02-17 15:38
Added information on research to explore market shifts and behaviours relating to Stamp Duty.