Has anyone else here had problems with the new security features on the HMRC website to validate their identity? I've tried twice now and failed both times
The new system attempts to ask questions about your credit reference history although they don't tell you which agency they are using. They ask questions about when you took out things like mail order accounts with a credit facility, when you took out a mobile phone contract or opened a current bank account, basically anything which has happened over the past 5-6 years or more, to be honest some of their questions do seem to have more than one interpretation. For example a mail order account - is that a shopping account or perhaps insurance paid monthly and done online? Do they consider renewing an existing mobile phone contract the same as taking out one?
Having been through this twice (and you have to wait seven days after the first failure try try again) I gave up and called them to obtain my refund.
From the reaction of the person on their help desk it would seem that this is a common occurrence
I'm assuming you only need to do this once as I do not (yet) have an online Personal Tax Account, as my tax affairs over these years since retirement have been simply I've not needed one.
Anyway I have contacted their website help desk and hope to hear after Christmas how to proceed.
Stuart
