ECSH45854 - Government gateway account: business needs to amend sectors

Inability to change sectors after an application has been submitted 

The activities supervised under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017) are known as “sectors” on the application form. Once an application for registration has been submitted through a business’ government gateway account, it cannot amend the sector(s) it has declared.

If a business has selected an incorrect sector during the application process or needs to change the sector declared on its application if it has been submitted, the business must withdraw the application through its government gateway account and submit a new application. Typically, the fees paid by the business will stay on its account as a credit and will be automatically allocated to the new charges raised when it submits its new application under the correct sector. However, if the new application has been submitted and the credit is not allocated to the outstanding fees, you should contact the EC-S finance team to have this manually allocated.

Inability to withdraw an application after submitting an amendment 

If the business has submitted an amendment to its application, the application cannot be withdrawn through its government gateway account. The caseworker should reject or cancel the business’ application on Enterprise Tax Management Platform (ETMP) and advise the business that it will need to submit a further application under the correct sectors.

Amending sub-sectors 

A business does not have to withdraw its application for anti-money laundering supervision if it needs to amend its sub-sectors. 

Case example

For example: an Accountancy Service Provider (ASP) initially applies for registration solely as a bookkeeper. Prior to its application being approved, the business can submit an amendment stating that it also provides auditing services, as this is an amendment relating to a sub-sector.

However, the ASP will be unable to amend its application to state that it is an Estate Agency Business, as this is an amendment to a sector.