HMRC denies reports it plans to develop its own authentication system and dump Gov.UK Verify

HMRC will still use Gov.UK Verify for individual taxpayers

Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has rushed to deny claims that it plans to ditch Gov.UK Verify, the Government Digital Service's authentication service that, it had hoped, would be used across the board to authenticate online users of public services.

In a statement to Computing, a HMRC spokesperson suggested that while the organisation is, indeed, developing an authentication system for businesses and organisations to access tax systems online, Gov.UK Verify will continue as the authentication service for individuals dealing online with HMRC.

A spokesperson told Computing: "HMRC is committed to Verify as the single identification service for individuals and is fully focused on delivering this.

"The authentication service that HMRC is developing to replace the Government Gateway will complement the existing Verify service for business representatives."

The clarification comes after it was widely reported that HMRC would be developing its own alternative to Gov.UK Verify when the Government Gateway service is closed down next year.

Just yesterday, following comments from Mike Howes-Roberts, HMRC programme director responsible for transforming Government Gateway, it was reported by a number of computing websites that HMRC was planning on dumping Gov.UK Verify entirely.

Government Gateway will be closed down next year and Howes-Roberts is therefore tasked with developing alternatives for HMRC.

"There is much the current Government Gateway service does well and we'll be looking to take forward into a new solution. But we also know we can provide a more agile, flexible and secure set of services, and at lower cost," wrote Mike Howes-Roberts, HMRC programme director responsible for transforming Government Gateway, in a blog post.

For Howes-Roberts, that means replacing 53 of the 123 services that the Government Gateway currently supports - in something like a year.

"In addition, we're exploring options around other government departments also using this replacement service. This would be restricted to business and agent-facing services only as Cabinet Office requires all other departments to use Gov.UK Verify: the cross-government service for any citizen-facing services where customers need to prove their identity," he added.

Gov.UK Verify had something of a trouble birth, with the service being delivered late and generating scores of complaints from early users. It has also been criticised on security grounds.

The government, in turn, promised to work with the security pros in order to improve both privacy and security.