The government has started using a new identity authentication service provided by Experian, among other certified providers, to register and authenticate users of some of HMRC’s online digital services, starting with car benefits and self assessment registration
At this stage, the system is primarily in beta testing, although it will be used for the first time for company car drivers to make changes to car and fuel benefits that will affect their tax codes with immediate effect.
It is already being used by Defra to handle rural payments and DVLA plans to roll out the system this year. All personal tax services will move to the authentification system within 12 months.
The online car and fuel benefits’ digital service is the first to use the new gov.uk Verify service, which authenticates a user’s identity before they are able to use a gov.uk service.
Users have to choose from a list of certified companies that can verify the user’s identity to gov.uk. First-time verification of identity by gov.uk Verify takes about 15 minutes and requires the user to have their financial information (ie, bank and credit card statements) and a valid UK passport or UK photocard driving licence at hand to complete the verification process.
