TRSM95010 - How to: contents: close a trust: contents: how to close a trust online

This guidance provides information on how to close a trust using the Trust Registration Service.

Before closing a trust, the trustee or agent must ensure that the trust information is up to date. Even after a trust is closed the trustee remains responsible for ensuring the trust data is correct. Once HMRC has processed the request to close the trust, access to its online register will be removed.

Closing a trust online

A trustee will need to claim the trust before requesting to close it if they did not register the trust online and have not updated the trust since it was initially registered. See TRSM92010 for information on how to claim a trust.

A trustee can close a trust online by completing the following steps:

1. Go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-your-trusts-registration-service

Alternatively, go to www.gov.uk and search ‘Manage your trust’s details’.

2. Read the guidance on the page about closing a trust.

3. Select the green ‘Start now’ button to access the ‘Sign in using Government Gateway’ page. The green ‘Start now’ button can be found in the ‘Using the online service’ section of the guidance near the bottom of the page.

4. Enter the trust’s Government Gateway user ID and password and select ‘Sign in’.

5. Confirm if an agent is managing the trust’s online register for the trustees by answering ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and then select ‘Continue’.

6. Answer the security questions shown on screen.

7. Check that the information has been entered correctly and select ‘Submit’. The trustee will be notified on screen if they have successfully answered the trust’s security questions.

8. Read the information on screen and select ‘Start maintaining this trust’.

9. Confirm if the trustee wants to view the trust’s last declaration by answering ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and select ‘Continue’.

10. Select ‘Close the trust and declare’ when asked what the trustee wants to do next, then select ‘Continue’.

11. Confirm if the trustee knows the date that the last asset in the trust was shared out by answering ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. It is also called the trust closed date or date of termination. This will be the date given on the final Trust and Estate (SA900) tax return or Self Assessment Online for trusts.

12. Enter the end date for the trust when prompted.

13. The trustee will then be advised on screen that they need to provide the most up to date information about the trust to HMRC. Read the information on screen then select ‘Continue’.

14. Confirm if the details about the trust need updating before closing the trust by answering ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and then select ‘Continue’.

The trustee will be presented will options to update if they select ‘Yes’.

15. Complete the declaration and then select ‘Confirm and send’.