ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

TAX NEWS

How to avoid losing access to your agent account

Article

Published: 31 Jan 2023 Update History

Failing to respond to an innocuous looking letter from HMRC can end up with your agent account being blocked. ICAEW’s Tax Faculty explains how to avoid this trap.
HMRC periodically writes to agents to ask them to confirm who supervises them for anti-money laundering (AML) regulation purposes. It is not clear what triggers this check but it might be an instance such as a change of agent address.

The letter includes a questionnaire to be completed and returned to HMRC. The completed questionnaire must be accompanied by a letter of confirmation from ICAEW, if it is the AML supervisor. The required letter can be obtained by contacting amlr@icaew.com.

The impact on agents, if they do not respond, is serious. If a satisfactory response is not received by HMRC, it does attempt to phone the agent. In the absence of a response, HMRC will block the agent’s account as a next step. The agent can still sign into their agent accounts, but will find that they don’t have access to services (sometimes only some services are blocked).

ICAEW is in discussions with HMRC about improving the process. In the meantime, tax agent ICAEW members in practice are advised to keep a look out for such a letter and ensure that they respond. 
The Tax Faculty

ICAEW's Tax Faculty is recognised internationally as a leading authority and source of expertise on taxation. The faculty is the voice of tax for ICAEW, responsible for all submissions to the tax authorities. Join the Faculty for expert guidance and support enabling you to provide the best advice on tax to your clients or business.

More support on tax

ICAEW's Tax Faculty provides technical guidance and practical support on tax practice and policy. You can sign up to the Tax Faculty's free enewsletter (TAXwire) which provides weekly updates on developments in tax.

Sign up for TAXwireJoin the Tax Faculty

More from the Tax Faculty

Latest news
Making tax digital image
TAXwire

Stay up to date with the latest developments in tax by signing up to the Tax Faculty's weekly e-newsletter

Practical guidance
Cover
TAXline

Comprehensive support for Tax practitioners each month from the Tax Faculty and expert contributors.

Technical support
Tax Faculty image
Webinars

Expert advice from the Tax Faculty's technical managers on all the developments in tax policy and practice.

Open AddCPD icon

Add Verified CPD Activity

Introducing AddCPD, a new way to record your CPD activities!

Log in to start using the AddCPD tool. Available only to ICAEW members.

Add this page to your CPD activity

Step 1 of 3
Download recorded
Download not recorded

Please download the related document if you wish to add this activity to your record

What time are you claiming for this activity?
Mandatory fields

Add this page to your CPD activity

Step 2 of 3
Mandatory field

Add activity to my record

Step 3 of 3
Mandatory field

Activity added

An error has occurred
Please try again

If the problem persists please contact our helpline on +44 (0)1908 248 250