The new PAYE real time system is apparently undergoing some teething issues. HMRC have been issuing advice after a number of customers who are trying to submit Pay As You Earn information in real time have reported that they are receiving error messages. Anyone who receives these messages upon trying to submit information should be aware that their submissions will not have been received by HMRC.

The following information has been provided by HMRC listing the error messages that may appear and how their customers should rectify the problem.

Error Message: Accounts Office reference or Employer PAYE reference is incorrect

When this message appears the customer should check both their Employer reference and/or Accounts Office reference as one or both are incorrect. The correct reference numbers will be found on HMRC paperwork.

Error Message; You have not been invited to submit this submission type

There are two pieces of advice from HMRC regarding this error message, which advice customers should follow depends upon when they received the message. If you received the message before 7 April, try to resend the submission. If you received this message on or after 7 April, telephone the Employer Helpline on 0845 71 43 143 and tell them what this message says.

Error Message: This submission cannot be accepted as a Full Payment Submission has not been received and successfully validated for this scheme reference.

Customers faced with this error message have tried to submit a National Insurance number verification Request (NVR) too early. You cannot send a NVR for any employee until two weeks after your first successful Full Payment Submission (FPS). You can resubmit the NVR when two weeks has passed.

Error Message: <html xmlns=’http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml/’><body><p>Content of element <span class=’XQuery-keyword’>{http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/taxation/PAYE/RTI/FullPaymentSubmission/13-14/2}HoursWorked</span> does not match its type definition: String content is not listed in the enumeration facet..</p></body></html>

If this is the error message you experienced you need to add ‘Hours Worked’ for each of your employees. For help in doing this you can refer to the Existing users: switching to Basic PAYE Tools PDF, and work through the guidance under the ‘Employee data’ heading on page 18. You should ensure that this has been completed for all employees and not just the ones being paid in this pay period.

Error Mess url = <html xmlns=’http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml/’><body><p>Content of element <span class=’XQuery-keyword’>{http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/taxation/PAYE/RTI/FullPaymentSubmission/13-14/2}AORef</span> does not match its type definition: String content does not match the length facet…</p></body></html>

For this error message customers need to correct the Accounts Office reference that they have entered because it is not the right length. For help in doing this they should refer to the Existing users: switching to Basic PAYE Tools (RTI) PDF, and work through the guidance under the ‘Employer data’ heading on page 17.

If you have received an error message that is not included in this guidance you should telephone the HMRC Online Services Helpline on 0845 60 55 999.