By mid-December more than a million customers completing their Self Assessment will be directed to their online personal tax account (PTA) which will:

• provide a clear and joined-up view of the tax they pay and benefits they are entitled to
• enable customers to update their tax details as they occur in real time, removing the need to resubmit information
• make it easier and more efficient to contact HMRC officials through services like web chat and virtual assistant.

The launch of PTAs is the latest step towards a fully digital tax service.

Two million businesses already use digital accounts and every business will have access to one by April next year.

Speaking at HMRC’s stakeholder conference in London, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke said: “Giving customers the ability to manage their tax affairs online is our latest step towards a fully digital tax system. This government is determined to revolutionise how we deliver public services and the tax system is no exception.

“By 2020 HMRC will be a world-leading tax administration that is efficient, effective and easier for customers to use, enabled by £1.3bn of extra investment announced in November’s Autumn Statement.”

Ruth Owen, director general of personal tax, said: “The launch of Personal tax Accounts is a ground breaking development for HMRC and our customers. Remember when you started banking online? Well, this is the equivalent shift in service for the majority of our customers wanting to do business with us online.

“We’ll be developing the PTA further so it will becomes the one place to go for all our customers to do business with HMRC.”

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