Guidance

Check if a letter you've received from HMRC is genuine

Check a list of recent letters from HMRC to help you decide if a letter you've received is a scam.

If your letter is not listed here check HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method.

Businesses’ experience of HMRC customer service

From 17 April 2023 up to and including 12 May 2023 HMRC may contact you by letter.

HMRC will work with Kantar Public to carry out research into businesses’ views of HMRC. The purpose of the research is to help improve service quality.

You may get a letter from HMRC inviting you to take part in this research online.

Information you provide will only be used for research purposes. We will not ask you for any financial information or details of your tax affairs. All answers will be confidential.

Taking part is voluntary and if you do not wish to take part, you do not need to do anything.

Child benefit take-up research

From 17 April 2023 up to and including 3 July 2023 BMG Research may contact you by letter.

HMRC is working with independent research agency BMG Research, to conduct research into the take-up of Child Benefit. The research aims to:

  • understand why Child Benefit take-up rates are declining, and why eligible customers may not be claiming
  • explore how to address any barriers to applying for Child Benefit

You may get a letter from BMG Research inviting you to complete an online survey.

Taking part is voluntary and if you do so, your answers will be:

  • confidential
  • used for research purposes only

Letter OCA300 — repayment of student loan deductions

HMRC will contact you by letter to tell you there is a repayment of student loan deductions due.

We will include details of why the repayment is due and the employer you worked with at the time.

This letter will tell you about changes to the way we issue repayments as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation.

We will ask for personal information to allow us to make a faster repayment.

You can call the Taxes general enquiry helpline to confirm this request is genuine.

Letter VPCF1 — decision to cancel your VAT registration

As part of HMRC’s VAT registration security procedures, we check registrations to test their intention to trade is valid.

If we believe you are not eligible to be registered for VAT, you may receive a letter from us advising of our intention to deregister you.

If you send us information to show you’re eligible for registration within 30 days, you will stay registered. This means you will be able to manage your VAT records with HMRC.

We will let you know what information and documents to provide. If this is not sent within 30 days HMRC will deregister the business from VAT.

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From 2213 MayFebruary 2023 up to and30 includingApril 7 July 2023 HMRC may contact you by letter.

YouIf you’re an organisation likely to fall within the scope of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Pillar 2, you may get a letter from HMRC inviting you to sharetake part in research. Taking part is voluntary and interviews will take place in March and April 2023.

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Self Assessment claiming a repayment

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Other letters you should check

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

Published 30 July 2021
Last updated 315 May 2023 + show all updates
  1. Information about Stamp Duty Land Tax understanding customers experiences has been added.

  2. Information on overdue deferred VAT has been removed.

  3. Information about mid-sized business services has been added.

  4. Added translation

  5. Research into Child Benefit take-up, and businesses' views of HMRC customer service, have been added.

  6. Information added on user research with businesses likely to fall within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) pillar 2 rules.

  7. Information about paying overdue deferred VAT to avoid a penalty has been added.

  8. Information about National Insurance category letter M — feedback about our Generic Notification Service has been added.

  9. Information about Self Assessment repayment claims has been added.

  10. Information about letter VPCF1 — decision to cancel your VAT registration has been added.

  11. Information on experiences of pension scheme administrators has been added.

  12. Information on the Cost of Living Payment has been added.

  13. Information about letter OCA 300 — repayment of Student Loan deductions has been added.

  14. Information about overpayments of SEISS (Self-Employment Income Support Scheme) grants, research into the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Income Tax refunds if you claimed the first, second or third SEISS grants have been added.

  15. Added information on research about the digitisation of Child Benefit.

  16. Research with businesses on VAT submissions section has been added.

  17. Information on Research into the impact of cash collection has been added.

  18. Added 'Independent research ― understanding business customers’ use of their online tax account' section.

  19. Added details of a letter being sent about regional information on Corporation Tax reliefs research.

  20. Added details of a letter being sent out about research with mid-size businesses

  21. Added translation