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How Do I Set Up a Government Gateway Account?

Step-by-step guidance to create and activate your HMRC business tax portal

Setting up a Government Gateway account gives you direct access to your business tax records, including your PAYE liabilities, Corporation Tax, and VAT. This setup ensures you're in full control of your obligations — in real time.

💡 We highly recommend each business sets this up, even if Intelligent Payroll handles your submissions. It improves transparency, keeps your records accessible, and supports faster resolutions with HMRC.

📌 What Is a Government Gateway Account?

A Government Gateway account is the HMRC-managed online portal that allows businesses to:

  • View PAYE liabilities

  • Submit tax returns (e.g., VAT, Corporation Tax)

  • Manage access to other HMRC services

  • Authorise agents like Intelligent Payroll

It forms the foundation for accessing your Business Tax Account, which is where all taxes are managed centrally.

🛠 How to Create a Government Gateway Account

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the official HMRC login page: https://www.gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services

  2. Click the green "Sign in" button

  3. Select “Create sign-in details”

  4. Enter your email address

  5. You’ll receive a confirmation code — enter this to verify your email

  6. HMRC will now issue you a User ID

    • Important: Save this in a secure place (it's not easy to memorise)

  7. You will be asked what type of account you're creating

    • Choose “Organisation” for business use

  8. Complete the security questions and 2-Step Verification setup (via mobile or authentication app)

Once complete, you’ll have created your Government Gateway account. This only needs to be done once per business.

🧾 Adding Taxes to Your Gateway Account

Once your account is set up, you need to add the relevant tax services (like PAYE) to your profile:

  1. Log in to your Government Gateway account

  2. On the dashboard, select "Get online access to a tax, duty or scheme"

  3. Choose the relevant service, e.g., PAYE for Employers

  4. Enter your business’s PAYE details:

    • Employer PAYE Reference (e.g., found on your P30/P60)

    • Accounts Office Reference

  5. HMRC will post an activation code to your registered business address (allow 7–10 days)

  6. Once the code arrives, log back in and enter the activation code

  7. You’ll now be able to see that tax in your account

Repeat this process for each tax you are registered for (e.g., VAT, Corporation Tax).

🧠 Helpful Tips

  • Create one Gateway account per business for cleaner recordkeeping

  • Only add taxes you are actually registered for

  • Enable 2-Factor Authentication to protect your account

  • Share access securely with authorised individuals only

❓Need Help?

If you're unsure what your PAYE reference numbers are, or you need help setting up your Gateway access:

💬 Contact us here and our team can assist.

We also recommend storing your login credentials securely — losing your Gateway login can delay tax submissions or PAYE payments.