Check if an email you've received from HMRC is genuine
Check a list of recent emails from HMRC to help you decide if the email you've received is a scam.
If your email is not listed here, check HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method.
Annual Tax Summary
The HMRC Self Assessment team are sending email alerts to some customers to say that their Annual Tax Summary is available to view. The emails have the title ‘Your Annual Tax Summary is ready’.
The emails also explain what is in the annual summary and will never ask you for personal or financial information.
Businesses reporting under IFRS 17 — Company Tax Return information
From 28 October 2024 up to and including 31 December 2024, HMRC may contact you by email.
You may receive an email from HMRC about the tax impact of the new insurance contracts accounting standard — IFRS 17.
The email will:
- outline the key points of the new IFRS 17 Regulations
- provide other important information
The email will also invite you to take part in a voluntary survey to help HMRC understand how effective communications about IFRS 17 have been. The survey will not request any personal information.
Businesses selling goods through online marketplaces in the UK
HMRC is contacting businesses who sell goods to customers in the UK through online marketplaces. The emails refer to VAT obligations in the UK. The first email will explain why HMRC is contacting you and ask you to get in touch.
Child Benefit claim updates
From 8 July 2024, HMRC may contact you by email.
HMRC may contact you by email if you’ve made a claim for Child Benefit, to confirm that your claim has been received and is being progressed. HMRC will use the email address that you have provided. The emails have the title ‘Thank you — we’ve received your Child Benefit claim’.
These emails will never ask you for any personal or financial information.
If you’ve already contacted HMRC about Child Benefit you can check the status of your claim.
Custom Intermediaries newsletter
From September 2021, HMRC will send a newsletter every 6 weeks by email to the intermediary sector for example, freight forwarders, customs brokers and fast parcel operators. The emails will give the latest news affecting the intermediary sector.
These emails will never ask you for any personal or financial information.
Employer bulletins
HMRC sends informational bulletins several times a year to employers who have registered to get them. These emails never ask you for personal or financial information.
Emails issued by HMRC:
- may have the title ‘Important information for employers’
- have links to HMRC guidance on the GOV.UK website, including advice about online security
Help and support
HMRC sends emails to customers to offer help and support. The emails will sometimes have links to online digital products such as webinars, HMRC’s YouTube videos or online guides.
These emails will never ask you for personal or financial information.
Help to Save — paying into your account
HMRC may contact some customers by email who have opened Help to Save accounts. The emails will remind customers who have not paid any money into their account about the benefits of using this service.
These emails will not ask for any personal or financial information.
Help to Save — you may be eligible
From 1 January 2025 up to and including 31 March 2027 HMRC may contact you by email.
HMRC are sending emails to Universal Credit customers, who may be eligible, to tell them that they can open a Help to Save account and receive up to £1200 tax-free bonus.
The email will:
- not ask for any personal or financial information
- signpost you to search ‘Help to Save’ on GOV.UK
Helping to improve the GOV.UK website
Customers who sign up to help improve GOV.UK to make government services better will get emails from HMRC.
The first email will have a link which you should follow to complete the signing up process.
Once you have signed up, a second email will be sent that has a link to a research blog. You may then get other emails that have links to short surveys about research.
These emails will never ask you for personal or financial information. They will also have a link to unsubscribe from future emails.
Import and export data trade statistics
HMRC’s Trade Statistics Unit regularly sends emails to business customers about import and export statistical data, and the related services accessed from HMRC’s trade statistics website.
These have:
- business alerts
- service updates
- deadline reminders
- data quality reviews
- survey requests
These emails may have links to more information, educational or survey content.
They will not ask for any personal, payment or tax related information.
List of customs agents and fast parcel or express operators on GOV.UK
From September 2021, HMRC will send a monthly email about a register of customs agents and fast parcel operators on GOV.UK.
The register is a useful tool that helps to match customs intermediaries with traders looking for support with their import and export arrangements. It is a way to show the services your business offers.
The email will ask you to either:
- keep your details up-to-date
- give your details to include in the register
The email will have a link to the register of customs agents and fast parcel operators on GOV.UK. These emails will never ask you for personal or financial information.
Making Tax Digital for VAT
HMRC will send an email to customers who have signed up for Making Tax Digital.
HMRC will confirm you can submit VAT Returns within 72 hours using the email address you gave. The email will not ask you for any financial information.
National Minimum Wage
From 1 October 2022 HMRC will send emails to offer help and support with the National Minimum Wage. The email may have links to:
- online guidance
- digital forms
- webinars
The email may also ask about your views on the National Minimum Wage. If it does, it will have a:
- link to take part in an online survey
- reference to this guidance so you can check that the email is genuine
These emails will never ask you for any personal or financial information without writing to you first.
Personal tax account promotion
Customers who contact HMRC helplines will be asked if they wish to sign up to a personal tax account. Customers who do not wish to sign up by telephone will be offered more information by email.
If you agree to give an email address, you’ll be sent some information by email while you’re on the telephone. The email gives background information about the benefits of signing up to a personal tax account, and how to sign up.
The email will not ask for any personal or financial information.
Research studies to improve government services
If you have signed up to help make government services better, HMRC will send you an invite by email to take part in research studies.
The email will be headed ‘Invitation to take part in research’. You’ll only get it if you meet the criteria for the research study.
The email may have:
- a link to take part in an online study
- details about a face to face event
The email will have a:
- reference to this guidance so you can check that the email is genuine
- phone number to contact the HMRC research team if you have any concerns
Tax-Free Childcare service
HMRC’s Tax-Free Childcare service regularly send emails to advise parents that they could be missing out on government contributions towards childcare costs from the UK government.
VAT debts reminders
HMRC may send an email to customers who are overdue with VAT payments. HMRC will use email addresses that customers have already given and will recommend that customers pay online to avoid further action. These emails will never ask you for personal or financial information.
VAT EU refund service failed validation
Customers that use the VAT EU refunds service may get an email if their claim has failed validation. The email will give details explaining why the claim has failed.
The emails will not ask for any personal or financial information.
VAT registration
HMRC will send an email to customers who have registered for VAT using HMRC online services. HMRC will use the email address customers have given to advise that they need to log into their online tax account in order to view a message in the secure messaging area.
These emails will never ask you for personal or financial information.
VAT registration applications submitted by agents
HMRC may contact you by email when you’ve submitted a VAT registration application that indicates you’re an agent. We’ll do this as we need to verify your details.
We’ll ask you to confirm how you’re operating, as well as details about your business, including:
- in what capacity you’re submitting VAT applications
- your business details, including name, address and contact details
- your HMRC registration numbers and references
- your agent reference number
- Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (AMLS) registration details, if applicable
Sending the requested details by the deadline provided will prevent your applications being delayed.
VAT Returns reminder
HMRC will send an email to customers to remind them when their VAT Return is due if they’ve registered to get email reminders. The emails that have the title ‘Reminder to file your VAT return’, have links to further information and a link to sign in on the GOV.UK website.
These emails will never ask you for personal or financial information.
Other emails you should check
You can also check emails listed in HMRC contact that uses more than one communication method.
Updates to this page
Published 30 July 2021Last updated 10 December 2024 + show all updates
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Information about Help to Save eligibility for Universal Credit customers has been added.
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Information about businesses reporting under IFRS 17 — Company Tax Return information research has been added.
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Information about the One-to-Many Compliance Advisory Board (OCAB) survey has been added.
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Information about VAT registration applications submitted by agents has been added.
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Information about Making Tax Digital for Income Tax has been added.
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The section 'HMRC webinars' has been updated to extend the period of contact by email from 2 April 2024 up to and including 2 August 2024, to 2 April 2024 up to and including 2 October 2024.
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Information about Child Benefit claim updates has been added.
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Information about research for HMRC webinars has been added.
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Information about research for paying Self Assessment bills with HMRC has been added.
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Information about a survey for One-to-Many Compliance Advisory Board members has been added.
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Added translation
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Added translation
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Information about Tax Credits and Self Assessment requirements has been added.
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Made it clear that HMRC may contact you about migrating your pension scheme onto the Managing pension schemes service.
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Information about Managing Pension Schemes emails has been updated to show a new start date of 16 November 2023.
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Information about migrating to the Managing pension schemes service has been added.
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Information about research on Pillar 2 and HMRC communication with tax agents and sole traders' for Making Tax Digital have been added.
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Information about emails telling you you may be eligible for Help to Save has been added. Information about Impact of Maxing Tax Digital for tax agents has been removed
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Information about a survey to understand the experience and approaches to growth of sole traders, freelancers and microbusinesses has been added.
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Information about migrating to the Managing Pension Schemes service has been added.
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Economic Crime Supervision text messaging survey and impact of Making Tax Digital research added.
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Information on pension schemes migration communication added.
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We have added 'One-to-many Compliance Advisory Board (OCAB) survey' and 'Tax-Free Childcare account' research.
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Information on research into the future of Gift Aid has been added.
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Information about Tax-Free Childcare research and Pre-filing conversation feedback has been added.
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Information on research with landlords about Making Tax Digital for VAT has been added.
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Information on the personal tax affairs questionnaire has been added.
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Information on the Economic Crime Supervision survey has been added.
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Information about the new Income Record Viewer service for agents has been added.
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Added information about the One to Many Compliance Advisory Board invitation to complete a survey.
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Information on research to improve HMRC communications added.
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Information about an estate agency business education and training survey has been added.
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Information on support with the National Minimum Wage has been added.
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Information on the Economic Crime Supervision survey has been added.
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Information about import and export customs declaration research with businesses has been added.
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Added information on emails inviting you to take part in a survey about online sales tax research.
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Added information about the One-to-Many Compliance Advisory Board invitation to complete a survey.
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Added translation
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Information about emails asking businesses and agents to take part in research on webinars and other digital products and services has been added.
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Information about future customs processes research has been added.
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Added translation
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Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) – your SEISS claims and what you need to do section has been added.
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'Intermediaries Newsletter' and 'Register of customs agents and fast parcel operators on GOV.UK' sections added.
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Information about emails asking businesses to take part in an Economic crime supervision text messaging trial has been added.
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Added 'One-to-Many Compliance Advisory Board (OCAB) invitation to complete a survey' section.
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Information about emails HMRC is issuing to overseas customers about VAT registration and payment feedback has been added.
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Added translation