HMRC have announced that the Self-employed will need to deal with their own grant claims and accountants will not be able to do it for them. It is a two-step process:
- Make sure you qualify, using HMRC’s eligibility checker . If you qualify, HMRC will give you details of when and how to claim.
- On or after the date HMRC give you, make the claim. You will need to log into the Government Gateway at each stage.
Taxpayers who already have a Government Gateway ID which gives access to HMRC’s self assessment services will be able to use that ID.
Those who do not have a Government Gateway ID are now prompted to create one when they use the
eligibility checker
. To speed up the process HMRC has changed the system slightly so that your identity can be verified instantaneously online – instead of the normal setup process which requires an authentication code (PIN) to be sent in the post.
We encourage any Self-Employed person to create their gateway now via the
eligibility checker
, in advance of the launch of the scheme opening, to ensure you have the correct sort of account and can apply at the earliest opportunity.
When creating an ID through the SEISS eligibility checker, you will be asked to verify your identity by providing details from a driving licence photocard or UK passport. Taxpayers without either of these documents will be asked for a piece of financial information, for example, the date they set up a mobile phone contract.
Make sure you keep the details of your gateway ID – with HMRC moving more systems online, you are bound to need it again.
Please contact us if we can help you with your claim.