Problems Logging on to HMRC Self Assessment?

[Oxx]

Am I the only person who has problems logging on to Self Assessment? The access code that is purportedly sent to my mobile 'phone rarely arrives.  And after 5 failed login attempts in an hour  (or 8 in a day), one is locked out for a whole week.

 

(And HMRC tells me I can't opt out of the system, even though it's obviously seriously broken.)

 

This is really frustrating - particularly since I've opted out of receiving paper documents from them.  I thought that would speed things up.  I was wrong.

[lungbing]

No problems, but I have a fixed password they sent to my UK address.  I log on once every few month just to keep it active, so to speak.  But as I only have pension income which is taxed at source they told me I no longer need  to fill in a self-assessment form.

[OJAS]

I have been unable to access my SA account online ever since the introduction of the 2-step verification procedure a few months ago. I initially set things up to receive the necessary 6-digit access code on my Thai mobile, but the SMS's detailing this code NEVER turned up in my case.

 

I then switched to receiving these SMS's via my UK SIM card to see whether this would make any difference. Lo and behold, it did, with the SMS's showing up pronto! However, since I am planning to let my UK SIM card lapse, this was not, for me, a satisfactory long-term solution to the problem.

 

And when I attempted to revert to my Thai mobile, I was informed that I would need to contact HMRC in the UK by phone for this to be done! This prompted me to send them a letter of complaint on 5 July instead. In their reply of 1 August I was informed that they had supposedly made improvements to the system, which should have greatly improved the delivery rate of SMS's abroad. I was invited to reconfirm my Thai mobile number by email which I duly did on 16 August.

 

On 23 August HMRC confirmed by email that access to my account had been reset to my Thai mobile, and invited me to go through identity verification again. This I did on 24 August, but with the same outcome as before (i.e. no SMS received with the 6-digit access code). So, as they had already requested, I then provided them with the time at which I had made my unsuccessful attempt together with my Thai mobile operator (AIS) so that they could trace what had happened to the SMS which had allegedly been sent. HMRC acknowledged this on 26 August and informed me that I would receive a further update when they knew more. Needless to say, I am still waiting for this!

 

I suspect that AIS may well be blocking these SMS's in my case at least since they regard them as spam. However, be that as it may, the loss of online access to my SA account would probably be no major deal for me personally, since as a registered UK non-resident I can't use it to file my tax returns online without engaging the expensive services of a commercial software supplier. But it does at least provide for me a useful means of double-checking the amounts of tax payments due, and confirmation that these have been safely received by HMRC.

Edited September 30, 2016 by OJAS

[topt]

I have been fighting this for some time as well. Originally (some months back) I actually had a number of mails from them about the problem which they claimed to have fixed. Once I did receive the code but as it was more than 10 minutes after requesting it I could not use and have never received since. I have an open ticket number but with no reply for about 4 weeks. I cannot understand why they cannot make it work as I receive automated stuff from Microsoft and Lloyds bank and have done for a while.

[OJAS]

"(And HMRC tells me I can't opt out of the system, even though it's obviously seriously broken.)"

 

This is completely contradictory to what they have told me! This is what you need to do, it seems:-

(1) Log on to your Gateway account at www.gateway.gov.uk

(2) To remove Self Assessment from your online account, on the left hand side of the webpage in the navigational menu click on 'Your account'

(3) Then on the right side of the page click on the link 'De-enrol service' , then follow the instructions

(4) Then to delete your account on the left hand side in the navigational menu click on 'Your account'

(5) Then to the right hand side of the page click on the link 'Delete your account' then follow the instructions.

 

"This is really frustrating - particularly since I've opted out of receiving paper documents from them."

 

Could you not opt back in to receiving paper documents (although this would probably require a call to the Self Assessment helpline on +44 161 931 9070 8am-8pm UK time Mon-Fri  or 8am-4pm Sat)? Better you do this before closing your SA account, I think!

 

 

[Oxx]

25 minutes ago, OJAS said:

"(And HMRC tells me I can't opt out of the system, even though it's obviously seriously broken.)"

 

"The system" refers to having to receive an SMS before being able to log on to the system - not using Self Assessment online.  You can't opt out of that.  To quote a recent (automated) email I received from them: 

 

"Can I opt out of two step verification?  No, it is an essential security requirement to maintain the security of your tax account."

 

25 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Could you not opt back in to receiving paper documents

 

The problems with paper documents are manifold:

 

(1) Can't be sure that HMRC has received any documents I've sent them.  (Though, to be fair, they usually will email back if I ask them.)

 

(2) Don't know whether I haven't received any document they may have sent me (e.g. lost in the post).  This could, potentially, lead to my having to pay a penalty.

 

(3) Long delays associated with any query they may have, with, say, two weeks for a letter to come from them, another two weeks for the reply to go back, a further 3 months or so before they respond, and another couple of weeks before I receive the response.  Rinse and repeat a few times, and a year has passed (as has happened to me once).

 

If the online system worked, it would be a boon.

 

Of course, HMRC doesn't give a monkey's about expats, which is why they haven't bothered to make the non-resident pages of the tax return available on-line, meaning we have (or at least should) make a paper return each year.

 

How I hate having to deal with Hector!

[SaintLouisBlues]

Perhaps you could refer them to this - http://www.howtogeek.com/212219/here’s-how-an-attacker-can-bypass-your-two-factor-authentication/

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

Perhaps you could refer them to this - http://www.howtogeek.com/212219/here’s-how-an-attacker-can-bypass-your-two-factor-authentication/

 

Typical of the our "beloved" government back in Blighty, I think! They appear to be so gripped with security paranoia that they blindly go ahead with inflicting as much suffering and inconvenience on us Brit expats as they humanly can through the introduction of cumbersome and bureaucratic measures, without even checking whether these have any effect in achieving their desired end - as evidently they do not in this particular instance!!

 

Renewal of passports is another example of the pain and misery which they are now inflicting on us through their over-obsession with security. In place of a system whereby you could submit an application by post or courier yourself and have the replacement passport sent directly to you, they introduced a crazy procedure 2.5 years ago under which you are now required to make 2 trips in person (or by someone else on your behalf) from whatever far-flung corner of LOS you live in to an office skyscraper with an exceedingly silly name in Bangkok for these purposes! All for sake of passport security, so they say! If so, then why do I still read news stories (like one I saw on here a few days ago) concerning forged British passports?

 

Not even the powers-that-be in the USA have, I gather, seen fit to impose such awkward and excessively bureaucratic passport renewal arrangements on their nationals living in LOS!

 

Sorry for this off-topic digression, but I just wanted to be clear that there is more than 1 issue involved when it comes to the British government inconveniencing their expat nationals living in LOS.

Edited September 30, 2016 by OJAS

[Moonlover]

I would like to step in here and counter the above comments with a very positive report on HMRC's on-line system.

 

Every year, since I've been drawing my State Pension, I have had to report an error to HMRC regarding my tax code. This was because they incorrectly assumed that I received the annual increase that a resident citizen would. This has previously been done by mail. Somewhat labourious and time consuming of course.

 

This year I did it via the on-line system previously alluded to and it worked a treat. It took only 5 working days and my tax code for 2017-18 is now correct. I did note a comment above about AIS, so I will add that I also use AIS and the access code arrived within seconds!

 

So persevere folks, the system does work.

[Eff1n2ret]

Same as Moonlover, I haven't  had a problem with the system. I had a message ten days ago about the coming year's tax code, and the access number was on my mobile before I could cross the room to pick it up.

(And yes, they always assume an increase in your State Pension.)

[briley]

OK., I have no problem with using the two step thingie since I luckily registered my UK telephone number and normally the code arrives in a few seconds. But sometimes it doesn't arrive at all.

 

But has anyone tried to use UK.gov Verify? You can log onto HMRC via https://www.signin.service.gov.uk/start

 

To set it up you have to go through a 15 minute programme that might work from Thailand - just tried it and it "too too long" and was asked to try again later. Seems though that you can set it up using two step but using an app on your android.apple device.

 

[503726]

I use a Tesco pay-as-you-go SIM from the UK with a UK number to receive HMRC verification codes. Its relatively expensive even to receive messages but seems to work (thus far). 

[OJAS]

23 hours ago, 503726 said:

I use a Tesco pay-as-you-go SIM from the UK with a UK number to receive HMRC verification codes. Its relatively expensive even to receive messages but seems to work (thus far). 

Indeed, based on my own experiences before my UK SIM card finally expired, such a card does appear to result in a greater guarantee of success in receiving HMRC's verification messages here.

 

Recent experiences with my Thai SIM card have been mixed. Last time I accessed the online services a few weeks ago, for example, I didn't receive any message first time. But I tried again 5 minutes later and succeeded in getting a message then.

[al007]

On 9/29/2016 at 7:27 PM, lungbing said:

No problems, but I have a fixed password they sent to my UK address.  I log on once every few month just to keep it active, so to speak.  But as I only have pension income which is taxed at source they told me I no longer need  to fill in a self-assessment form.

I to am in a similar position, no tax return required

however I logged on yesterday absolutely no problem, they have my Thai address on file and code sent to my Thailand tel number

 

Problems may however arise for those who are still using UK addresses as computers can analyse where you are

 

Those who try and get the increases by using a UK address need to be very careful, all the data bases are being more and more cross linked, even passport renewal

 

Suggestion to those who claim the annual increases, clean up your act and stop while you are ahead, if and when they catch you they can recoup all and make your lives hell