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

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

Letter CA2490 — Home Responsibilities Protection eligibility

HMRC will send you a letter if we think you may have missing Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP).

We want to help you make sure you receive the right amount of State Pension, so we’re asking you to check if you were eligible for HRP between 1978 and 2010. You may have been eligible if you received Child Benefit for a child under 16.

The letter will tell you how you can check if you’re eligible to claim missing Home Responsibilities Protection and how to make a claim.

Letter CH297B — Child Benefit full-time non-advanced education notification

HMRC may contact you by letter to ask if your child is staying in full-time non-advanced education or approved training.

This is so we can make sure you receive the correct Child Benefit payments.

The letter will contain a QR code which you can scan. This will allow to update your claim online.

You will have until 31 August 2024 to take action or your payments will automatically stop.

Letter CA4361 — National Insurance contributions

HMRC will contact you by letter if we think you may have paid too much in your National Insurance contributions.

We will ask you for information about your past employment.

We will tell you which tax years we need information for and we will include details of employers we have on our records.

The letter will ask you to reply by either:

• completing the online form
• completing and posting the paper form attached with the letter

We will then review the details you provide and confirm if you are due a refund.

Letter IDMS99P — Simple Assessment

HMRC will contact you by letter to tell you there is an overdue payment on your Simple Assessment tax bill.

The letter will tell you:

• how to pay
• if you cannot pay in full now, to call HMRC on 0300 322 7835
• what happens if you do not pay or call us within 28 days of receiving the letter

You must not ignore the letter.

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 COVID-19 situation.

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

You can contact the Income Tax: 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.

Possible involvement in tax avoidance schemes

HMRC will contact you by letter to warn you of your possible involvement in a tax avoidance scheme.

You will receive a letter when:

• our systems show you may have joined an avoidance scheme
• HMRC publishes information about a tax avoidance scheme, and the people involved in the supply and marketing of the scheme

The letter will tell you:

• how to check if you’re involved in an avoidance scheme
• the risks of being in an avoidance scheme
• about the support available to help you leave the scheme

We want to make you aware of our concerns as early as possible, so you do not build up a large tax bill.

You must not ignore the letter.

Find out more about tax avoidance and the HMRC’s Don’t Get Caught Out campaign.

Self Assessment — claiming a repayment

You may get a letter from HMRC asking you to contact us about your repayment claim.

We may ask you to send more information to verify your claim.

You must respond to the letter so we can make any repayments owed to you as soon as possible.

You can contact the Self Assessment: general enquiries helpline if you need further support or you’re not sure if the letter is genuine.

Small business — behaviours and attitudes following an HMRC enquiry

HMRC are working with independent research agency NatCen to conduct research to understand behaviours and attitudes of small businesses who have had an enquiry with HMRC closed between 2018 and 2023.

HMRC may contact you by letter to ask if you want to opt out of research.

If you choose not to opt out, NatCen may contact you by email or phone to invite you to take part in the research.

Taking part is voluntary, and if you do so all responses will be:

• confidential
• anonymous
• used for research purposes only

If you need further information, contact details for HMRC and NatCen will be on the initial letter you receive.

Other letters you should check

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