API broken for 2016-17

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Our 2016-17 tax return API (PTP) has stopped working. I've spoken to PTP. They say that a week ago HMRC started logging out users but won't let them log back in. Ours was working fine at 11 am this morning but by 11:30 we were prompted to input an access code, I received the code to my phone but when input it generated a "bad request" page. Our software people say that for some reason HMRC won't let us log back in and gradually it is happening to more and more users. Anyone else had this problem?

HMRC say how wonderful MTD will be because of the APIs but yet again we find HMRC's systems are not robust.

Replies (33)

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By Mr_awol
16th Jan 2018 12:40

Ours is dead too. API unavailable is the error we get.

Edit: Just tried to re-authorise us (perhaps a stupid mistake) and came up with a server error.

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Morph
By kevinringer
16th Jan 2018 13:30

I've tried to re-authorise and got:

You cannot access client data at the moment
Agents are currently not able to authorise software applications to act on their client's behalf.

This will become available at a later date.

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By ChrisStrong
16th Jan 2018 13:50

Disclaimer: I am the Sage Product Owner for our accounts preparation solutions (UK and Ireland)

Hello,

We (Sage) have received a notification from HMRC which may help you understand the issue you are seeing.

“We are aware of issues with the API Platform, which is currently shuttered whilst we investigate.”

This is preventing our Sage Personal Tax Account Viewer working, as it utilises the HMRC API’s and it will prevent all other software providers solutions from working too.

Shameless plug: Once the HMRC API Platform is available again, you are welcome to give our Sage Personal Tax Account Viewer a try.

Kind regards
Chris Strong
Sage Product Owner for Accountants (UK and Ireland)

Thanks (3)
Morph
By kevinringer
16th Jan 2018 13:47

HMRC's Online Services Helpdesk is engaged!

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By ireallyshouldknowthisbut
16th Jan 2018 14:12

yup got that too

Absolute cockwombles

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Morph
By kevinringer
16th Jan 2018 14:54

I eventually got through to HMRC online services and they've never heard of an API!

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By Duggimon
16th Jan 2018 16:46

I'm pretty sure HMRC Online Services have nothing to do with the API, I expect there's no public facing helpdesk for dealing with these issues, your only recourse is via the software supplier who presumably have access to HMRC people who are at least aware of its existence.

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By Marmite
16th Jan 2018 16:57

Response from BTC

"HMRC are currently experiencing issues with their servers. They are currently working on a fix, however we have had no confirmation as to when it will be fixed. For further information on this please check HMRC's website for updates."

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By SpreadsheetUser
16th Jan 2018 18:27

How can anyone in HMRC say with a straight face that any form of MTD is viable in their current state?

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
16th Jan 2018 23:32

I am on Taxcalc and mine had gone down also its a good job folk are not busy this time of year.

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Morph
By kevinringer
17th Jan 2018 08:10

HMRC have admitted overnight the problem is their end https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-service-avail...

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By redman7
18th Jan 2018 08:17

this is crazy - every time I file a tax return through BTC I have to prove my credentials, enter NI number, passport number, expiry date etc.

BTC's response is simply:

'HMRC are still looking into this issue. Unfortunately we have not had confirmation as to when this will be fixed. You should be able to get in touch with HMRC for further details.'

Not good!

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By redman7
18th Jan 2018 08:50

typical - it's now working again !

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Morph
By kevinringer
18th Jan 2018 08:55

HMRC have announced it is working but it isn't for me: I'm still having to input all my details which results in the following message:

'You cannot access client data at the moment
Agents are currently not able to authorise software applications to act on their client's behalf.

This will become available at a later date.'

Thanks (0)
Replying to kevinringer:
ALISK
By atleastisoundknowledgable...
18th Jan 2018 19:45

kevinringer wrote:

HMRC have announced it is working but it isn't for me: I'm still having to input all my details which results in the following message:

'You cannot access client data at the moment
Agents are currently not able to authorise software applications to act on their client's behalf.

This will become available at a later date.'

I’ve only been able to access it properly twice - I get his everytime.

I’m just ignoring the API this year - can’t waste more time on it - and hope they sort it for next year!

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By ChrisStrong
18th Jan 2018 10:23

Good Morning,

Our Sage Personal Tax Account Viewer is connected to HMRC again now which indicates that the HMRC API’s are back up and running for all providers.

http://ask.sage.co.uk/scripts/ask.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqi...

Kind regards
Chris Strong
Sage Product Owner for Accountants (UK and Ireland)

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By Steve Holloway
18th Jan 2018 10:39

PTP isn't though ... frustrating!

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By stecartlidge
18th Jan 2018 11:01

Disclaimer: I am the Sage Product Owner for our Taxation Solutions (UK and Ireland)

As my colleague Chris Strong has reported earlier, HMRC updated the services page which indicated things were back up and running, testing also confirmed this and our users reported successful connections and searches.
However we are now receiving reports of more intermittent connection issues, alongside success rates on searches.

We are keeping a close eye on this during self-assessment and are back in touch with HMRC to clarify their position.

Cheers,
Steve Cartlidge
Sage Product Owner for Accountants (UK and Ireland)

Thanks (3)
Replying to stecartlidge:
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By Mr_awol
18th Jan 2018 12:37

We don't use SAGE (well we do - but not for Tax returns)

You indicated above that the SAGE PTA viewer was open to all - can you confirm this and also confirm whether there could be problems with two providers having access (i.e. IRIS already authorised and we go in and authorise SAGE too)?

I'd be keen to see whether some of the data we 'could' have is blocked by the software provider, like Digita have with pensions info, and also what the position is when no payroll data is received despite us holding a P60 In our grubby little mitts.

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Replying to Mr_awol:
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By stecartlidge
18th Jan 2018 12:39

Good afternoon Mr-awol,

I can confirm that our solution is available, the 'open to all' comes with the prerequisite that you will need a Sage One Partner Edition, which would take a couple of minutes to set up.

Checking in with our Development team we see no issue connecting with multiple software suppliers as HMRC provide an access token per connection.

When it comes to the data being supplied, we will supply you everything that HMRC holds through their API connections. Where we have had reports that data should be there and is not, this has been down to processing issues HMRC side unfortunately.

See the link below, come and take a look and feel free to DM me on here and I can send you my personal email if you wish to continue the conversation offline.

http://ask.sage.co.uk/scripts/ask.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqi...

Regards,
Steve Cartlidge

Thanks (3)
Replying to stecartlidge:
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By Mr_awol
18th Jan 2018 12:44

Thanks Steve, Ignore the DM I sent which was only in case you didn't see this.

We had a SAGE one account but we didn't get on with it (sorry) so I'm not sure if it's still active. I'll check with someone who knows.

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Morph
By kevinringer
18th Jan 2018 11:31

PTP support have advised me of a workaround which has worked: install an old version of the software on an old PC. I've manually hashed the databases so the software think they are compatible so I've copied them to the standalone PC. The API ran through the security questions and is now working.

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Morph
By kevinringer
18th Jan 2018 11:46

PTP have phoned with the solution: copy something from the working (old software) database to the new. I'm not going to post instructions: PTP users should phone PTP support.

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By Wanderer
18th Jan 2018 12:11

APIs via BTC working again.

Had to re-do the phone authorisation.

And re-enter again PERSONAL name, d-o-b, NI, passport details, colour of underpants etc. etc.

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By JFHindmarsh
18th Jan 2018 12:46

After a couple of days of no access, we can now log in. However, every client is showing as unauthorised. Would it be a good idea to disconnect and go through the authorisation process again? Is this working for people?

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Replying to JFHindmarsh:
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By stecartlidge
19th Jan 2018 09:21

JFHindmarsh wrote:

After a couple of days of no access, we can now log in. However, every client is showing as unauthorised. Would it be a good idea to disconnect and go through the authorisation process again? Is this working for people?

Good morning all,

Steven Cartlidge here again, I am the Product Owner at Sage for our range of Taxation solutions. This includes our recently released Sage Personal Tax Account Viewer.

The update from HMRC is as follows;
"The HMRC Self Assessment pre population services has now been fully restored...
...Please note that the API Platform is now back up and running and available for live transactions...
...Unfortunately, we have not been able to restore previously valid OAuth tokens during the restoration process and would advise individuals and agents to re-authorise their software...
...Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience this may cause."

For everyone keeping an eye on this, I have been in touch with JFHindmarsh who has been able to successfully disconnect and reconnect and is back up and running.

We have also had other reports that services are reconnecting successfully and authenticating with HMRC as intended.

We still have a batch of users who are still connected with (now) invalid credentials which HMRC are unable to authenticate.

Today we are reviewing any invalid tokens and will be clearing them down, users will then be shown the 'Connect' option instead of receiving errors.

We will continue to update our support material linked below, reflecting the latest news and/or service issues.

http://ask.sage.co.uk/scripts/ask.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqi...

Drop me a reply with any questions, for anyone not connected to HMRC feel free to take a look at our solution which is available to everyone this Self Assessment .

Regards,

Steve Cartlidge

Thanks (1)
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By stecartlidge
18th Jan 2018 18:44

Update:
HMRC have now advised services are all back up. However they have advised of an issue validating existing authorisation tokens, this means user with existing software connections that are still experiencing issues to disconnect and re-authorise.

I will review progress our end and add in a more comprehensive update in the morning, anyone still experiencing issues with the Sage solution, feel free to DM me on here and we will be happy to take a closer look.

Regards,
Steve Cartlidge

Thanks (3)
ALISK
By atleastisoundknowledgable...
19th Jan 2018 10:25

(TaxCalc)
I keep having to re-authorise, being asked to answer some security questions and redirected to a new page in my internet browser, where the HMRC site just says:

"There’s a technical problem
We’re unable to confirm your identity at the moment.

Please try again later."

Anyone else having this?
Any suggestions?

Thanks (0)
Replying to atleastisoundknowledgable...:
Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
19th Jan 2018 15:46

I am on Taxcalc and same message what a crock this whole thing is.
(not taxcalc but the poor setup at HMRC)

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Replying to Glennzy:
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By SpreadsheetUser
19th Jan 2018 17:11

I have just re-authorised myself with Taxcalc and all working now

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By SteveHa
19th Jan 2018 11:36

Digita - I had to go through the reauthorisation hoops, but have it back, now.

Whilst I was at it I sent scathing feedback to HMRC that asking for an agents personal identification details (especially when it may simply be an employee in a practice) is barking mad and a gross invasion of privacy.

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Replying to SteveHa:
ALISK
By atleastisoundknowledgable...
19th Jan 2018 11:46

Yeah, it did surprise me that I had to answer those questions.

I’m going to revert to my initial position of “assume the ******* piece of **** is broken, don’t bother wasting time on it now & just hope they sort it out in Feb/Mar”.

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Replying to atleastisoundknowledgable...:
By Steve Holloway
23rd Jan 2018 16:57

Well I'm still not able to access via PTP. I've sent support requests but nothing back which is frustrating and no update on the portal since the 18th. As far as I can see there is no mechanism to re-log in via PTP and it just throws out an error.

If anyone who uses PTP has overcome this then I'd love to know!

Thanks Steve

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