Automatic Exchange of Information if you have an account
Find out what information you may be asked for by your account provider and how that information is shared.
Your account provider may ask you for certain information in relation to the Automatic Exchange of Information.
Account providers may include:
- your bank
- your building society
- insurance or investment companies
- trusts
- charities
If your account provider asks you for information about your account, you must reply. If you do not reply, they could share incorrect information with the relevant tax authority. They may also refuse to open new accounts for you.
You should always check that the request is genuine before replying.
When you may be asked for information
You will be affected if you have a bank or building society account.
You may also be affected if you:
- have investments through an insurance or investment company
- are a trustee
- have an interest in certain types of trusts
- receive certain payments from a charity
What information you will be asked for
If the account is in your name
When you open a bank account in the UK, you will be asked where you live for tax purposes.
If you are a UK tax resident, you may be asked for your National Insurance number. Find out more about UK residence and tax.
If you are a tax resident of another country, you will be asked for your tax identification number (the number given to you by that country’s tax authority).
If you opened your account before 1 January 2016, your account provider may contact you to confirm your tax residence status.
If the account is in another name
You may open an account, known as an entity account, in the name of a:
- company
- branch of a foreign company
- partnership or trust
You will be asked for the following details of the entity:
- tax residence status
- tax identification number
- type
You may also be asked about the person who controls the entity, or the beneficiary of a trust.
What information is shared
The following information is shared for each account:
- your name
- your address
- your date of birth (if held)
- your place of birth (if held)
- your tax identification number (if applicable)
- your account number
- the name and identifying number of the account provider
- your account balance (or value) including interest and dividends, at the end of the calendar year (or other appropriate period)
How information is shared
If you have a UK account provider, they will send this information to HMRC, who will then share it with the relevant tax authority (if the account is held by one of their tax residents).
If you are a UK tax resident with an account outside the UK, HMRC will receive this information from the relevant tax authority.
How to apply for a redaction of your information
If you believe that sharing your information may result in a threat to your human rights, you can apply for redaction of the information.
If your redaction is accepted, we will remove all data relating to you before any data is sent to other jurisdictions.
You should apply as soon as possible after you become aware of the threat.
Reporting is due every year by 31 May for information relating to the previous calendar year. You should apply by 30 April, following the first year you become aware of the threat, to allow time for your application to be reviewed.
If you become aware of the threat after 30 April, email: [email protected]
You do not need to apply for a redaction every year, but you should let us know if:
- any of your circumstances change
- the redaction is no longer needed
Your application must include:
- which rights you believe to be under threat if information was shared
- details of any individuals who may be impacted by the sharing of information
- evidence of the threat, which may include:
- police reports
- documentary evidence of threats (including those involving the jurisdiction in question)
- testimony from those who have suffered human rights abuses in related and relevant circumstances
Email HMRC to ask for the form in Welsh.
You can find out more about data protection and what happens if your application is unsuccessful.
Updates to this page
Published 11 December 2014Last updated 2 May 2024 + show all updates
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The form to apply for a redaction has been updated.
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Guidance on how to apply for a redaction of information due to threats to your human rights has been added.
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First published.