Is anyone else having problems registering as an agent for the new Trusts registration?
Has anyone managed to get speak to someone at HMRC who can help/got a helpline number?
Thanks
Claire Muirhead
Farnfields
I have managed to register as an agent, but I have not yet been able to do anything beyond that (ie, registering a trust that I am working on).
Taurean Drayak
Elliot, Bond & Banbury
1 Like
We signed into Government Gateway but then got the screen telling us we needed to email HMRC (on trust.queries@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk) to request agent access for our firm. We did this but have heard nothing back yet. For those that have now been authorised as agents, how long did it take?
mandy connolly
LTS Tax Limited
My colleague has rung 0300 1231072 so try that but make sure you are put through to âTrust and Estateâ team He has phoned them several times and had some useful advice (and some not so useful).
Ruth Barron
DWF LLP
We have also managed to register as an agent but so far have not managed to register a trust. My colleague who has been working on this received the following error message -
400 - We couldnât find the page youâre looking for
This could be because youâve typed the address incorrectly
It then goes on to suggest searching on gov.uk etc.
He has telephoned them this morning on 0300 1231072 asking specifically for the Trust and Estate team and has been given the following explanation -
If you get 400 or 500 mistake, it will need to be resubmitted later.
HMRC is aware of this problem and it has been fixed by their IT team but the update release will be implemented only at weekends. It should work on Monday - if not - give them a call again. So - no further progress until Monday and another week gone by and no trusts registered.
Ruth Barron
DWF LLP
1 Like
Is it possible for an agent to register a new trust online? I have a Gateway Account and can see that I can register for an existing trust but what about a new one? I assume I cannot do this yet? But when?
Andrew Spearman
Debenhams Ottaway LLP
It sounds like the registration deadline of 5 December will have passed before registration of trusts can be made, in which case what will be HMRCâs reaction? Maybe the webinar scheduled for 17 November will help!
Patrick Moroney
BWL
1 Like
I thought that the 5 December deadline is for registering trusts which became liable to tax for the first time in 2016/17. For trusts which are already registered for self-assessment I think that the deadline is 31 January 2018. Am I wrong?
Jeremy Crouch
Clintons
2 Likes
You are correct Jeremy
Simon Northcott
Jeremy I agree with your understanding of the deadlines.
Are there any other non-UK agents trying to register?
Being in the Channel Islands, we do not have our own UK UTR or CT reference. I have therefore been unable to get past this part of registering as an agent for the Trust Register and seem to be stuck.
I tried calling HMRC who told me that all Trust Register queries had to be emailed, and their eventual email response was simply, âThe service is currently only open to UK agencies. We will provide access for overseas agencies in 2018/19.â!
We have a lot of trusts to include on the register (for 5 December and 31 January), and also need to obtain UTRs for new trusts to submit tax returns by 31 January so Iâm shocked that this is HMRCâs response!
I realise we could probably register each trust individually (create Government Gateways for each), but this isnât strictly correct, would take much longer, and weâd have to input all the information again as agent next year, so we really want to avoid this.
Anyone else in this position?
Helen Salisbury
Saffery Champness
We have so far been unable to register as agents to use this service, despite having been sent the link, and despite several âget help with this pageâ contact attempts. We get stuck in a loop using the link as it does not recognise our firmâs UTR or postcode! Spent half an hour on the phone this morning with HMRC online services help desk, who are able to see that our firm is registered as an agency but are not yet able to access any of this trust agency stuff to see why the link isnât working as it has not been ârolled out to themâ! They have apparently escalated my query and I wait with anticipation for a response, but am not holding my breathâŚ
Maxine Higgins
Citroen Wells
1 Like
Max - we were told yesterday that the update to fix the various error messages that people have been getting - usually 400 and 500 messages - would be run over the weekend by HMRC and the system should be working next week - only time will tell if it sorts out that problem and all the others.
Ruth Barron
DWF LLP
I can get as far as a page titled âYour servicesâ and the first item is âHMRC Agent Servicesâ. I am instructed to âselect link to go to servicesâ but nothing happens when I click on the link. Still waiting after ten days for a response from HMRC. Anyone else had this problem?
Jeremy Crouch
Clintons
I am having the same problem - since 23rd October, I have had 8 different digital support emails, each one passing my problem to another colleague, who will contact me. Have called/emailed to chase a response - or some help at all, but nobody is responding. It really does beggar belief.
Nicola Fox
Thrings
We are in exactly the same position as Max. We habe been sent 2 identical emails by HMRC, with the link, but when we enter our firmâs UTR and postcode, the first is not recognised.
Itâs very frustrating, but also comforting that we are not alone!!
Just to follow up, I received a further email from HMRC this afternoon, confirming that there was a problem with the format of the post code in the system, and that the problem had been fixed.
I can now confirm that weâve successfully registered an existing trust today.
Julia Strike
Bircham Dyson Bell
Itâs the same for us. HMRCâs response each time is to send the same link which just gives the same outcome after the UTR and postcode are entered: âthere is no agent business linked to this accountâ.
Peter Gooch
Barker Gotelee
I used this link to create a new MTD agent account.
https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/trusts-forms/form/registration-of-a-trust/new
HMRC must have changed their procedure, because a few weeks ago, i went through and created it and it gave me access right away.
I am also in process of submitting my first trust registration via agent portal.
I tried to create a new agent account to see if I was having any issues. I managed to create an account but then got this message:
Request access to Agent Services
Before you can sign up for the new Agent Services account you must request access. It may take a little time to respond to all requests, but we will endeavour to respond as soon as possible. Please email us at trust.queries@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk with the subject line, ârequest access for Agent Servicesâ
I never got this message a few weeks ago. I donât think it was more than 2 weeks ago!.
Sameera Nathoo
I managed to register an existing trust yesterday.
The HMRC TRS FAQs found here are useful: https://www.tax.org.uk/policy-technical/technical-news/hmrc-online-trust-registration-service-trs
When I called HMRC today with queries (0300 123 1072, trusts option), they arranged a call back within an hour and the person I spoke to was helpful. Some points to note: the âother assetâ option should be used for large investment portfolios. Similarly, if you have already submitted a trust using the original 41G, you can use the âother assetâ option to record the asset value(s) as âalready notifiedâ. (See section I of the FAQs)
Ensure you have DOBs and NINOs for all the trustees and beneficiaries. However, if a NINO is not available there are other options. The guidance says you should still be able to register the trust even if some of this info is missing.
Amanda Lathia
Dixon Ward
Are people still having trouble with the Trust registration system? Parts of it are doing my head in. From a recent phone call, it seems HMRC is compiling a list of work arounds for various bits of the system that donât do what it says on the tin.
Roni Bailey
Abax Financial