What is a Government Gateway user ID?

Definition of a Government Gateway user ID

A Government Gateway user ID is a series of up to 12 characters that you use alongside a password to access some of the UK government’s secure online services, including HMRC.

In the past, your user ID authorised access to the Government Gateway, but this was closed and substituted with replacement services in March 2019. However, your Government Gateway ID is still active and can be used to sign in to HMRC online services. 

The government is in the process of fully replacing the Government Gateway ID with the GOV.UK One login. The GOV.UK One Login will eventually replace all other ways to sign in to services on the government’s website, GOV.UK.

From November 2025, HMRC changed its sign-in page to add the GOV.UK One login. This now sits alongside the existing Government Gateway user ID. 

However, for now, when you are filing your Self Assessment through FreeAgent or other commercial software, you will still need to use your Government Gateway user ID, not a GOV.UK One login, to connect to HMRC. If you currently sign in to HMRC using a GOV.UK One login, there are instructions on how to get a Government Gateway user ID here.