Problem with online PAYE for Employers

Some clients unable to add PAYE for Employers to their HMRC Tax Account

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Several of my clients are now either setting up HMRC Business Tax Accounts in order to access online PAYE for Employers, or they are adding access to PAYE for Employers to existing Tax Accounts, ready for making CJRS furlough pay claims.

One or two have come back to me and told me they are unable to access PAYE. The message that they get back says either their details are incorrect (PAYE ref and Accounts Office ref only - both checked, both correct) or those details have already been used to access this tax or scheme. This is also not the case.

The one thing that I have noticed that those with issues have in common is that the second part of their PAYE reference is numbers only - e.g. 123/45678 rather than 123/AB012345.

I'm wondering if there is a glitch in HMRC's software stopping it from accepting references with numbers only.

Has anyone else come across this issue? Do you have any other suggestions as to what the problem might be?

Trying to avoid phoning the HMRC online help desk on the grounds that life is tricky enough at present without that...

Replies (8)

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By hje
07th Apr 2020 19:16

I'm yet to be convinced that this is the correct route to submit CJRS claims anyway as the guidance does not state it (yet, at least). No idea on validating thise particular references although it could just be the usual temporary glitch.

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Replying to hje:
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By kathyray
07th Apr 2020 20:41

I'm really hoping we can submit as agents but I want to be prepared for either!

Good point - I'll get them to try again in a couple of days.

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By susieq
08th Apr 2020 09:55

The reference number is entered in two stages. So first question is 123 (of 123/45678)
Second question wants the 45678. Previously they always seemed to want the full paye reference but if you read it that's not the case on this form.

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Replying to susieq:
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By kathyray
08th Apr 2020 10:07

Thanks, I checked and that is exactly how it's been entered. I just have a feeling that it's the lack of letters in the second bit that's causing the problem.

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By Bulawayo67
19th Apr 2020 07:15

Hello

I've had the same issue, have been trying to register all week and get the same error message - "this info does not exist for PAYE for Employers, or it has already been used to request access to this tax scheme"
I have 5 separate payrolls, the other 4 worked ok using the same format, just this one.!
I brought our payroll in-house from April, so made contact with the Payroll Bureau to see if they are still registered as acting on our behalf. Could there there be a limit on "registered" people per account?
Spent hours on the phone to HMRC this week they ask you to go to their website- not managed to speak to anyone. Anyone else having this problem?

Help please!

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Replying to Bulawayo67:
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By kathyray
19th Apr 2020 08:00

Hello

Of the two I initially posted about , one 'discovered' they already had had an account set up, to which they now have access. The other is probably the same but as I have full agent access to it, it doesn't matter. But it clearly had nothing to do with the format of the PAYE reference.

I'm still getting that issue for one other client - no doubt they had an account in the dim and distant past too - with the additional issue that if I try to authorise them as a client I get the message that HMRC's data doesn't match mine. Efforts to talk to HMRC are failing miserably and webchat is constantly closed / busy / has technical issues.

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RedFive
By RedFive
19th Apr 2020 08:49

I’ve got one left like this out of 67 payrolls ready to file and claim on Monday.

Our agent authorisation gets rejected after 2 days saying details don’t match.

Tried to set up BTA but can’t add PAYE as ‘already attached to a BTA’

Client never had a BTA (probably set up by a previous accountant)

I’m stuck in a loop that I can’t get out of.....

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Replying to RedFive:
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By kathyray
19th Apr 2020 12:13

That's exactly where I'm at too.

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