Guidance

Use a Government Gateway user ID

Updated 28 April 2021

Applies to England and Wales

1. Create a Government Gateway user ID

1.1 What you need

To create a Government Gateway user ID, you’ll need:

• your name
• an email address
• a password
• a memorable word, which Government Gateway calls a ‘recovery word’

1.2 How to set up a Government Gateway user ID

To create a user ID:

1. Click the link emailed to you to access the Breathing Space service.
2. You’ll be asked to ‘sign in using Government Gateway’.
3. Scroll down the page and select ‘Create sign in details’.
4. Enter the email address you want to use with your Government Gateway user ID. If you’re the super user, this must be the email address you used when you were enrolled on the service.
5. Enter the confirmation code the service has sent to your email.
6. If you have not received a code, click on ‘I have not got the email’ and a new code will be emailed to you.
7. Enter your name.
8. Create your password.
9. Create your recovery word.
10. Your Government Gateway registration is now complete.

The next screen confirms your user ID. It will also be sent to your confirmed email address. You’ll need your user ID and the password you set up every time you try to access the Breathing Space service.

2. Problems signing into your account

2.1 Breathing Space: forgotten your Government Gateway password

Standard user

You will need to ask the super user in your organisation to reset your password.

Super user

Reset your password on your Government Gateway user ID so you can access the Breathing Space service.

If you have forgotten your password for your Government Gateway user ID, you can reset it to a new one.

You will need:

• your Government Gateway user ID
• access to the email address that you used to set up your Government Gateway user ID
• your recovery word

Without these details, you cannot reset your Government Gateway password.

2.2 How to reset your password

If you do not have multi-factor authentication set up

If your account does not have multi-factor authentication:

1. When you are asked to sign into Government Gateway, scroll down and select ‘I have forgotten my password’.
2. Enter the email address associated with your Government Gateway user ID.
3. A code will be emailed to you that you need to enter on screen.
4. Enter your Government Gateway user ID.
5. Enter the requested letters of your recovery word. You will only be asked for this if you have set up a recovery word.
6. Create a new password.

If you have multi-factor authentication set up

If your account has multi-factor authentication set up, and you need to reset your password:

1. When you are asked to sign into Government Gateway, scroll down and select ‘I have forgotten my password’.
2. Enter the email address associated with your Government Gateway user ID.
3. A code will be emailed to you that you need to enter next.
4. Enter your Government Gateway user ID.
5. Enter the code sent to the device you set up multi-factor authentication on.
6. Create a new password.

2.3 Breathing Space: forgotten your Government Gateway user ID

If you’ve forgotten your user ID, look through your emails. Your Government Gateway user ID will have been sent to the email address you used to set up your user ID, so you might be able to find it here. Look for the email with your user ID.

Standard user

You will need to ask the super user in your organisation to resend your Government Gateway user ID.

Recover your user ID (super user)

If you have multi-factor authentication set up, you’ll need:

• access to the email address you used to set up your Government Gateway user ID
• your Government Gateway user ID password
• access to the device you set multi-factor authentication on (such as your smartphone), as you will receive a code through it

Follow these steps:

1. When you are asked to sign into Government Gateway, scroll down and select ‘I have forgotten my Government Gateway user ID’.
2. Enter the email address associated with your Government Gateway user ID.
3. A code will be emailed to you that you need to enter next.
4. Enter your Government Gateway user ID password.
5. Enter the code sent to the device you set up multi-factor authentication on.
6. Your Government Gateway user ID will be displayed.

2.4 Breathing Space: forgotten your Government Gateway user ID

If you’ve forgotten your user ID, look through your emails. Your Government Gateway user ID will have been sent to the email address you used to set up your user ID, so you might be able to find it here. Look for the email with your user ID.

If you find it, follow the guidance for resetting your password.

If you still don’t have your Government Gateway user ID or password, ask the super user in your organisation to resend your Government Gateway user ID and reset your password.

If you’re a super user, contact [email protected] if you have problems with logging in.

If you do not have access to your registered email

If you cannot access your registered email address, you will not be able to reset your Government Gateway user ID or password.

For security, Government Gateway will email you a code any time you want to reset your sign in details. This will only go to the email address associated with your Government Gateway account. If you do not have access to that email address, you will not be able to reset your Government Gateway password or recover your user ID.

You’ll need to contact the super user in your organisation.

If you’re a super user, contact [email protected] if you have problems with logging in.