How businesses manage access to HMRC online services
Qualitative research with small and mid-sized businesses exploring experiences of accessing HMRC online services and understanding login requirements.
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HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has an ambition for businesses to view their tax affairs and report relevant information through its online services. Its success depends on the effective management of login credentials and access, as well as robust identity verification and authentication processes.
Credentials, identity verification and authentication systems directly impact customers’ ability to access and use HMRC services. When these processes are unclear or inefficient, they can introduce complexity and increase the need for customer support.
To explore these challenges, HMRC commissioned Verian to conduct qualitative research. The research aimed to understand:
- how small and mid-sized businesses currently manage credentials for its online services
- their experiences with the existing HMRC identity verification and authentication processes
- their expectations for the future
A total of 43 in-depth interviews were conducted with finance leads in small and mid-sized businesses between March and April 2025.