Guidance

Automatic Exchange of Information if you have an account

Find out what information you may be asked for by your account provider and how that information is shared.

Your account provider may ask you for certain information in relation to the Automatic Exchange of Information.

Account providers may include:

  • your bank
  • your building society
  • insurance or investment companies
  • trusts
  • charities

If your account provider asks you for information about your account, you must reply. If you do not reply, they could share incorrect information with the relevant tax authority. They may also refuse to open new accounts for you.

You should always check that the request is genuine before replying.

When you may be asked for information

You will be affected if you have a bank or building society account.

You may also be affected if you:

  • have investments through an insurance or investment company
  • are a trustee
  • have an interest in certain types of trusts
  • receive certain payments from a charity

What information you will be asked for

If the account is in your name

When you open a bank account in the UK, you will be asked where you live for tax purposes.

If you are a UK tax resident, you may be asked for your National Insurance number. Find out more about UK residence and tax.

If you are a tax resident of another country, you will be asked for your tax identification number (the number given to you by that country’s tax authority).

If you opened your account before 1 January 2016, your account provider may contact you to confirm your tax residence status.

If the account is in another name

You may open an account, known as an entity account, in the name of a:

  • company
  • branch of a foreign company
  • partnership or trust

You will be asked for the following details of the entity:

  • tax residence status
  • tax identification number
  • type

You may also be asked about the person who controls the entity, or the beneficiary of a trust.

What information is shared

The following information is shared for each account:

  • your name
  • your address
  • your date of birth (if held)
  • your place of birth (if held)
  • your tax identification number (if applicable)
  • your account number
  • the name and identifying number of the account provider
  • your account balance (or value) including interest and dividends, at the end of the calendar year (or other appropriate period)

How information is shared

If you have a UK account provider, they will send this information to HMRC, who will then share it with the relevant tax authority (if the account is held by one of their tax residents).

If you are a UK tax resident with an account outside the UK, HMRC will receive this information from the relevant tax authority.

How to apply for a redaction of your information

If you believe that sharing your information may result in a threat to your human rights, you can apply for redaction of the information.

If your redaction is accepted, we will remove all data relating to you before any data is sent to other jurisdictions.

You should apply as soon as possible after you become aware of the threat.

Reporting is due every year by 31 May for information relating to the previous calendar year. You should apply by 30 April, following the first year you become aware of the threat, to allow time for your application to be reviewed.

If you become aware of the threat after 30 April, email: enquiries.aeoi@hmrc.gov.uk

You do not need to apply for a redaction every year, but you should let us know if:

  • any of your circumstances change
  • the redaction is no longer needed

Your application must include:

  • which rights you believe to be under threat if information was shared
  • details of any individuals who may be impacted by the sharing of information
  • evidence of the threat, which may include:
    • police reports
    • documentary evidence of threats (including those involving the jurisdiction in question)
    • testimony from those who have suffered human rights abuses in related and relevant circumstances

Apply for a redaction (PDF, 467 KB, 3 pages)

Email HMRC to ask for the form in Welsh.

You can find out more about data protection and what happens if your application is unsuccessful.

Updates to this page

Published 11 December 2014
Last updated 2 May 2024 + show all updates
  1. The form to apply for a redaction has been updated.

  2. Guidance on how to apply for a redaction of information due to threats to your human rights has been added.

  3. First published.

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