Guidance

Apply to make a subject access request to HMRC

How to get personal information that HMRC holds about you.

From:
HM Revenue & Customs
Published
14 January 2016
Last updated
28 October 2024 — See all updates

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, this is known as a subject access request (SAR). 

We take our responsibilities for data protection seriously. Our privacy notice explains how we collect and use personal information about you in accordance with data protection law.

If you have a personal tax account, you might find the information you need in your account.

You can ask the Valuation Office Agency for personal information they hold about you.

There’s a different way to apply for information about someone who has died. Find out what to do if someone dies and if you need to apply for probate to deal with their estate.

Find information in your personal tax account

You can sign in to your personal tax account to check your personal information for the last 5 years without making a SAR.

Information for the current year

You’ll be able to check your:

  • employment history including information about earnings — including time in employment, your PAYE reference, the pay and tax details for each of your employment 
  • tax code and the amount of tax paid — the tax code will include a list of any allowances, employment expenses, for example mileage allowance and company benefits, for example company car 
  • estimated pay 
  • income allowances and benefit deductions, for example Marriage Allowance and income savings 
  • current income sources and add new income, for example dividends, tips, investment income 
  • State Pension forecast up to 4 months 8 days before your retirement to let you know the amount you’ll receive 
  • private pension — including date when you started to receive your pension, your PAYE reference, the pay and tax details for each of your pensions 
  • National Insurance contributions — your deductions up to the start of the current tax year and any National Insurance credits you’ve received 
  • tax credits, to view details of your claim, when your next 8 payments are due to be paid and the amount, details of employment, child details and childcare providers (if you have any)  
  • Child Benefit — information about your claim including the start and end dates, child details and the date and amounts you received from HMRC for the last 5 payments and the next payment due 
  • Self Assessment — date you filed your return and made a payment 

Information from the previous 5 years 

You’ll be able to check your: 

  • previous employment history including information about earnings — including time in employment, your PAYE reference, the pay and tax details for each of your employment 
  • Self Assessment — date you filed your return and made a payment, also you can print a copy of your submitted return for each year

Other information

You can also find information about: 

  • National Insurance contributions, for all years you have paid them, including what you’ve paid and any National Insurance credits you’ve received
  • Simple Assessment — date you made a payment to us in the current and previous year

Sign in to or set up your personal tax account to access your personal information.

Access information as an agent or solicitor 

Agents and solicitors can access their client’s personal information from the last 5 years using the Income Record Viewer if the client has given authorisation. 

Find out how to:

Ask someone else to help

You can let us know you give someone permission (for example a solicitor, tax agent or a trusted person) to receive personal information you request from us.

You’ll need to give us authorisation by:

  • completing and printing out the HMRC consent form
  • writing a letter, letting us know the information we can send them

For more details on what to include in your letter, read section ‘what you’ll need to apply’.

You must send the completed HMRC consent form with your letter to:

SARS/DPU
HM Revenue and Customs
National Insurance Contributions Office
BX9 1AN

Make a SAR to HMRC

You should only request a SAR for information that is not included in the personal tax account or Income Record Viewer.

There is no fee to pay to access your personal information. However, we’re lawfully allowed to charge a reasonable fee if your request for access is unfounded or excessive. In these circumstances, we can refuse your request. 

You can read more about when your request might be considered unfounded and excessive on the Information Commissioner’s Office — when we can refuse a request website.

What you’ll need to apply

You’ll need to give as much detail as you can about:

  • what information you need 
  • the years you need the information for 
  • the reason for the request 

You’ll also need to prove who you are. You must let us know your:

  • full name 
  • National Insurance number 
  • date of birth 
  • current and previous address for the last 5 years

You’ll need to make sure you include an: 

  • original signature on your written letter to us 
  • e-signature when completing the online HMRC consent form

Find out more about what to include in your subject access request on the Information Commissioners Office website.

How to apply

Apply online

You can complete and submit your Data Protection Subject Access Request form online or print it and send by post to: 

SARS/DPU
HM Revenue and Customs
National Insurance Contributions Office
BX9 1AN

Apply by post

You can send us a letter to ask for information that you could not find in the personal tax account or Income Record Viewer.

For more details on what to include in your letter read section ‘what you’ll need to apply’.

Send your letter to: 

SARS/DPU
HM Revenue and Customs
National Insurance Contributions Office
BX9 1AN

Apply by phone or webchat

You can contact HMRC to make a SAR.

After you’ve applied

We should reply within one month of receiving your request. However, we may take 3 months to reply if:

  • we have received several requests from the same person
  • the request is complex

We will send you a letter to let you know we may take longer to reply.

Updates to this page

Published 14 January 2016
Last updated 28 October 2024 + show all updates

  1. New sections, ‘Ask someone else to help’, ‘what you'll need to apply’ and ‘find information in your personal tax account’ have been added.

  2. Overview and Make a SAR to HMRC sections have been updated.

  3. Information about where to send a SAR for Income Tax has been updated.

  4. The 'Make a SAR to HMRC' apply online section has been updated.

  5. Information about your rights to request personal information, any fees you may have to pay, and how long this may take has been added to the guidance.

  6. Address to send Subject Access Requests has been updated.

  7. Information about making a subject access request for tax credits, Income Tax, Child Benefit, VAT, customs and other records has been added.

  8. The address to send the subject access request has been updated.

  9. First published.

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