Check if a text message you've received from HMRC is genuine

Commercial drivers

HMRC will send a text message to customers who may have undeclared income from driving paying passengers. This is to remind you to:

• notify HMRC of this income
• make a voluntary disclosure

This text message will not:

• ask for personal or financial information
• provide any links to websites

Confirmation and update text messages

HMRC may contact you by text message to confirm that we have received from you:

• a claim
• a form
• other correspondence

The current confirmation text messages being issued are:

• complaints acknowledgements
• VAT DIY House building
• Child Benefit

HMRC appointment reminders

HMRC may send you a text message to remind you of an upcoming telephone, Teams or face to face appointment you’ve booked.

This text message will not:

• ask for personal or financial information
• include any links to websites

National Minimum Wage increases

HMRC sends a text message to customers who claim Working Tax Credits, to advise when their entitlement to National Minimum Wage has gone up following:

• a recent 18th, 21st or 23rd birthday — messages are issued on a monthly basis
• the annual rate increase on 1 April each year

HMRC contacts apprentices by text message after the annual rate increase on 1 April each year. The text messages are issued from June once a year.

This text message will not ask for any personal or financial information.

OnlineSelf statusAssessment checkreturns and payment reminders

HMRC willmay send a text messagemessages to customers who may have undeclared income from online sales. This is to remind you to:

• notifyremind HMRCthem ofto thissubmit incometheir self assessment returns
• make apayments, voluntarywhere disclosuredue, before 31 January 2023

ThisThese text messagemessages will not:

• ask for personal or financial information
• provideinclude any links to websites

Self Assessment, VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax customers

HMRC may send a text message to customers who have debts or outstanding returns to:

• request payment
• request overdue returns
• update their personal or business address

HMRC may also remind you of payment or return submission deadlines becoming due.

This text message will either:

• direct you to the GOV.UK website
• ask you to contact HMRC by phone to make payment or update your address

Text messages will not include or ask for any personal or financial information.

Survey after a call to HMRC or a compliance check

HMRC may send you an exit survey by text message if you’ve:

• agreed to provide feedback after calling one of our contact centres
• gone through a compliance check

This text message will not:

• ask for personal or financial information
• include any phone numbers
• provide links to websites other than to the survey platform

Tax credits

HMRC may contact you by text message toto:

• confirm askand remind you toabout tax credit claim interview appointments
• request that you call the tax credit helpline to discuss your claim.
  claim

These text messages will not:

• ask for personal or financial information
• provide any links to websites

Other texts you should check

You can also check text messages listed in HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method.