Connect your HMRC account
To submit under Making Tax Digital, you connect your HMRC account to the app once. You can record everything beforehand: connecting is only needed when you are ready to submit.
How to connect
- Start from the Connect HMRC card on your dashboard, or go to Settings, open the HMRC tab, and click Connect.
- In the Connect to HMRC dialog, enter your National Insurance Number and tick the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy boxes, then click Continue to HMRC.
- On HMRC's own website, sign in with your Government Gateway user ID and password, and grant permission for the app to interact with your Self Assessment data.
- You are returned to the app, now connected. Settings shows your connection status and the HMRC income sources linked to your account.
Important: You enter your National Insurance Number and tick both consent boxes before the "Continue to HMRC" button becomes active. You then sign in on HMRC's site, so the app never sees your Government Gateway password.
What you need
Your Government Gateway user ID and password (entered only on HMRC's website), and your National Insurance Number. The app stores the resulting access tokens encrypted, and refreshes them automatically so you stay connected between visits.
If HMRC says you are not signed up
If HMRC reports that you are not signed up for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, the app keeps all your records and shows a friendly notice linking you to GOV.UK to sign up. You can keep adding properties, businesses, income, and expenses in the meantime, then come back and refresh once HMRC confirms your sign-up. See Not signed up for MTD yet?.
Note: Connecting to HMRC is available on both the Free and MTD Lite plans, and submissions are live for both property and self-employment income. You can record properties, businesses, income, and expenses before you connect; connecting is only needed when you are ready to submit to HMRC.
Frequently asked questions
Is my connection secure?
Yes. You sign in on HMRC's own website, so the app never sees or stores your Government Gateway password. The access tokens the app keeps are encrypted at rest.
Do I need to reconnect each time?
No. The connection stays active and refreshes itself in the background. If HMRC revokes access you will see a prompt to reconnect in Settings, on the HMRC tab.
Related guides
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If this did not answer your question, our support team is happy to help.
Get StartedContact supportThis guide explains how to use the app. It is general information to help you use the software, not tax or legal advice. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to a qualified accountant or HMRC.