Revenue sorry for PAYE Online 'teething problems'

I also received an email saying I had mail and then discovered I couldn't access it. What's the point in sending these emails out at a time when we can't access them?
When I tried to phone the electronic filing helpdesk I just got a message saying 'due to large demand we are unable to process your enquiry, please try later.' Wouldn't a message telling us when things are going to be back up and running be more appropriate and useful?

It wouldn't be so bad if the revenue got their act together.

I have just receieved an email from the revenue telling me I have mail in my secure inbox - which guess what - I cannot get into because the revenue have closed their system!!

The recent comments prove that this whole situation, as many predicted, is developing into a complete shambles. I submitted 3 P35's on line on Friday and have had no acknowledgment of any of them, although my payroll prgram says they have been submitted. Because the secure mailbox is down, I can't check any information either. I am now at the stage where I am grinding my teeth with frustration, not to mention losing a number of hours of productive time.

By an large, there seems to have been a great deal of goodwill towards the Inland Revenue supporting the introduction of on-line services, but I can see this being thrown away very quickly by the inability of the IR to cope.

I dont see how these problems have been recognised now but not before.

I've had several explanations of why the server is being down but the Revenue now seem to admit it's because there are "problems". How come they didn't test it better before? I don't think it's good enough to say that testing can never find ALL bugs. It should be good enough to find enough to make the server workable for the vast majority to use. They should then issue warnings about what situations can cause problems.

I have been told by the Helpdesk that the secure mail will not be working before Wednesday.

I was worried that mail that I had not read could be seen last week yet this week it's not there although one mail that I had read but not deleted was still there.

The Helpdesk says that it's nothing to worry about and nothing has been deleted but I can't rely on anything these people say.

Have just successfully filed 5 P35s in the last hour complete with email acknowledgements so it looks as if the Revenue have got their act together at long last.

I submitted a test run for submissions, using the P35 - the first sending. I intend to finish the paperwork before making the submission for real.

My software returned that 'if it had not been sent as a test, it would have been successful'.

I have now received an e-mail from the Revenue to the effect that my submission has been received and is being processed!

All I can do is send it live next time and see whether it gets rejected as being sent already.

There is bug in there. Either the response should have acknowledged it as a test run, or someone needs to re-write their standard reply e-mails!

The original heading for this was going to be "Wow!". After reading previous comments, I approached with some trepidation filing on-line for my largest payroll client (46 employees). To my surprise, this took less than 2 minutes and I was suitably impressed. However, on reading the other comments made, one thing I lack is any e-mail responses to this and 2 more previously submitted. Does this mean that my submissions have disappeared without trace - and how will I know?

Yup, seems to be now working OK. Have just filed six payrolls for my clients using Sage. All went through fine, and e-mail acknowledgments received for five. Am waiting for the last e-mail now.

I too received an email from the Government Gateway "that my submission has been received and is being processed" even though I had sent a test and not a live submission.

I rang the Online filing helpline and was told that the same message is sent regardless of whether it is a test or a live submission.

Since the email is evidence that the returns have been submitted, how are the Inland Revenue to differentiate between test and live submissions?

I've been told by our payroll software provider that this has confused all their users - I'm not surprised.

Yes, I too was unable to access the IR website on 5th April due to 'maintenance'.

On the same day I received all my on-line filing authorisations back because I was informed the Govt Gateway code I used was 'incorrect'. The one shown on the online Gateway screen is different by one character from the one I was issued with. Huh?

I spent 30 years in IT and if I were to have designed a system a) that does not work at critical times and b) is fraught with stupid inconsistencies, I would have been asked whether IT were an appropriate career for me.

Now I ask the same question of myself as an accountant having to deal with this hapless organisation

who has registered but needs to get his end of year returns in before he runs the next week's payroll?
I am well aware as a Sage payroll user that Sage identified this issue given that many 2005/06 first payment dates will be today or tomorrow, giving a very short span of time to those without the facility to run both years software in tandem.
Have all software houses now got this facility or are there users out there who will have already lost their first year's incentive payment due to lack of access to the Gateway.
Does anyone know of any date critical software packages that might be affected in this way?

12.25 p.m. Printed out employee tax deduction working sheets

12.30 p.m. Logged on to Revenue website. Straight in.

12.35 p.m. Entered employer details (new scheme) and all employee details, using free Revenue software.

12.40 p.m. Started P14's online

12.55 p.m. Started P35 online

13.00 p.m. Filed P35 online

13.05 p.m. Printed it out, saved it, went and had lunch

OK, only 5 employees. But in the light of adverse comments about this site .... is this a record ?

If it stays as good as this, I can cope with it. But maybe it was just my lucky day ...

The Revenue published the following announcement on its What's New page this afternoon:

"We are experiencing some teething problems with access to our new Online Return and Forms - PAYE service, and with filing Returns using third party software.

"We recommend that you try again tomorrow.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience these problems will cause you. We are working to fix both problems urgently.

"The Secure Mailbox service is unavailable until 9 April. If your payroll software downloads information straight from your Mailbox, you can continue to use that feature."

This and other announcements are featured in Revenue Watch.

Andrew Goodall
editor@taxzone.co.uk

At least self-assessment returns do not HAVE to be made online. By 2010, PAYE filing online will be compulsory for ALL employers and for some it already is. Seeing these stories around crucial dates is getting to be par for the course. When will it end?

PAYE ONLINE FILING - HELPLINE SAYS TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES MEAN I CANT LOGON AT THE MOMENT - THE ADVISE -TRY AGAIN TOMORROW- WILL THEY BE THAT LEINIENT COME 19TH MAY ?

I have jusy had cause to speak to the Cardiff Employer's office who informed me that nothing could be done on-line till at least 9th April! No on-line payroll filing, no nothing. This is ludicrous.

I am due to attend a "Working Together" meeting with our local tax Director & other Accountants this evening. You can bet the meeting will be pretty confrontational. Working together? Huh!.

...Self Assessment Online isn't available at the moment either, so I can't get in to see statements etc.