Do you work under a UTR? This common mistake is often overlooked.

In the UK, many self-employed individuals using a UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) are unaware of an important detail that directly affects their pension record, tax calculations, and even eligibility for financial support.
We’re talking about the fact that your UTR and NIN (National Insurance Number) might not be linked in the HMRC system.

Why is this important?
If your UTR and NIN are not linked, it can lead to serious consequences:
• HMRC may not record your National Insurance contributions → you lose pension years.
• Risk of penalties.
• Difficulties in claiming benefits, tax refunds, or getting mortgages and loans.
• HMRC may mishandle your tax submissions, leading to extra checks and requests.

Common reasons for unlinked records:
• NIN was not provided or was incorrect when registering for UTR.
• A temporary NIN was used.
• Personal data errors (name, date of birth, address).
• You received your NIN after UTR registration, and the system wasn’t updated.
• Technical error in HMRC’s system (more common than expected).

What should you do?
• Check if your UTR and NIN are linked.
• If not, send a request to link them.

💡 How to check?
We explained it in detail in our video on Instagram, Facebook и TikTok