VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Corporation Tax and VAT: Registration

Asked by Martin WrigleyLiberal DemocratTreasuryTabled Answered 5 September 2025UIN 73197

The question

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) digitising and (b) streamlining the HMRC process for issuing (i) VAT registration numbers and (ii) corporation tax authentication codes.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson

As part of the Government’s commitment to improve customer experience through reform and modernisation of tax and customs administration, HMRC recently published the Transformation Roadmap. As part of this plan, HMRC will continue to explore opportunities to digitise their services where it is right to do so. This includes the development of a secure and GDPR compliant digital method to communicate VAT registration details with customers. Until this is developed, VAT registration numbers are sent by physical post which minimises the risk of fraud by preventing the interception of VAT numbers by fraudsters.

Similarly, the activation code for a customer to add corporation tax (CT) services to their business tax account must be delivered by a secure process. HMRC are investing in their legacy corporation tax system in order to provide the foundation for future improvements and will work with customers to ensure that they meet the needs of the diverse CT population.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim