Running payroll feels straightforward until an RTI submission bounces back with a cryptic error code. I’ve spent years helping small businesses wrestle with payroll software, HMRC quirks and those afternoons when PAYE and National Insurance totals refuse to reconcile. In this guide I walk you through the most common Real Time Information (RTI) errors I see, why they happen and — more importantly — how to fix them step by step so you can get your Full Payment Submission (FPS) or Employer Payment Summary (EPS) accepted quickly.
Where to start: gather the right information
Before you try fixes, do a quick checklist. Having the correct context saves time and prevents repeated submissions.
Which submission failed? (FPS, EPS, or Earlier Year Update)What error code or message did HMRC return?Which payroll software and version are you using? (e.g., Sage, Xero, QuickBooks, BrightPay)Which employee(s) are affected?What was the pay date and tax period?With those items to hand I can focus on targeted fixes rather than guesswork.
Common RTI errors and step-by-step fixes
Below are the issues I most often troubleshoot. I’ve grouped them by the symptoms you’ll see and given practical steps you can follow immediately.
Employee details mismatches
Symptom: HMRC returns errors about invalid National Insurance number, unknown employee or names that don’t match their records.
Step 1: Check employee NINO formatting — it should be two letters, six digits, one letter (e.g., AB123456C). Remove spaces before submitting.Step 2: Confirm name fields. HMRC expects a clear first and last name. Avoid punctuation and excessive characters in the name or title fields.Step 3: If you've recently changed an employee’s name (marriage, deed poll), ensure their payroll record and P45/P46 details were updated correctly in your software.Step 4: If everything looks correct, use the HMRC NINO verification service via your payroll software or online to confirm the number. Most payroll packages (Sage, Xero, BrightPay) have a check function.Pay frequency or tax period errors
Symptom: HMRC rejects the submission because the tax period or pay frequency is wrong, or the FPS is sent for a date that’s already been reported.
Step 1: Verify your payroll filing date and that the pay date falls within the reported tax period.Step 2: Check for duplicate FPS submissions — if you already submitted an FPS for the same pay date and employee, HMRC will reject a second identical one. If you must amend, use an EPS or an FPS with amendment flags as your software instructs.Step 3: For late submissions that span previous tax periods, ensure you choose the correct tax year in your payroll software. A common mistake is processing payroll in the wrong tax year after 6 April.RTI submission rejected due to totals not matching
Symptom: HMRC reports that tax, NIC, or student loan totals do not match expected values.
Step 1: Reconcile your payroll ledger. Check pay elements (gross pay, taxable pay, tax and NIC calculations, attachments to earnings). A manual adjustment earlier in the period can cause mismatches.Step 2: Look for manual payslips processed outside normal run — these can affect year-to-date totals.Step 3: Use your payroll software’s reconciliation or audit report to list all submissions for the employee and spot anomalies.Step 4: If necessary, submit a correction FPS flagged as an in-year adjustment for the employee to fix year-to-date totals; consult your software’s guidance — this is how Xero and Sage handle amendments.EPS and reclaim or statutory pay errors
Symptom: HMRC rejects EPS because NICs recoverable or statutory pay reclaim fields are incorrect.
Step 1: Ensure you’re sending EPS when you need to reclaim statutory payments or report no payments to employees in a tax month.Step 2: Double-check the amounts entered for statutory pay (SSP, SMP, SPP) and the period they cover. If you used a weekly amount but the software expects a period total, the mismatch will trigger a rejection.Step 3: If you’re reclaiming employer NICs for small employers’ relief or statutory pay, ensure the payroll software knows the eligibility — some packages require you to tick a box per employee.Authentication and gateway problems
Symptom: You can’t connect to HMRC or submissions fail with authorization errors.
Step 1: Check your HMRC gateway credentials (your Government Gateway ID or the new HMRC sign-in depending on integration) — passwords and tokens expire or get locked out after failed attempts.Step 2: If using software that authenticates via API (e.g., Xero, Sage), confirm that your authorisation token is current. Re-authorise the connection if prompted.Step 3: For payroll bureaux, ensure your Agent Services Account and authorisations are valid. A revoked agent permission will stop submissions.Specific HMRC error codes — quick reference
| HMRC Code | Symptom | Likely fix |
| ERR013 | Invalid NINO | Check formatting, verify number with HMRC lookup, correct payroll record |
| ERR014 | Employee name mismatch | Update first/last name fields; avoid punctuation; re-submit |
| ERR020 | Duplicate FPS for same pay date | Check earlier submissions; if amending, submit as corrected FPS or EPS as relevant |
| ERR033 | Tax/NIC totals mismatch | Reconcile payroll totals; submit corrective FPS |
When to contact HMRC
I always try to resolve issues in the payroll software first because most RTI rejections are data or formatting problems. Contact HMRC when:
You’ve verified the data and still receive an unexplained HMRC error code.An HMRC record (NINO or name) is demonstrably different from supporting documents and needs correction on their side.There’s a system outage or technical problem at HMRC preventing submissions.When you call or use webchat, have your employer PAYE reference, submission ID and example employee details ready. That speeds up their investigations.
Practical tips to avoid RTI errors
From experience, preventative routines save the most time:
Keep employee records tidy: consistent name fields, correct NINOs, right tax codes and accurate start/leaving dates.Use software validation tools — most modern packages (BrightPay, Xero Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, Sage) flag obvious errors before you send.Reconcile payroll to your accounting ledger monthly. Small discrepancies grow into confusing RTI rejections if left unchecked.Document changes: when you correct an employee’s record, leave an internal note in the payroll system stating why — that’s invaluable if HMRC queries an adjustment later.Plan for end-of-year procedures: run payroll finalisation checks early and don’t leave EPS corrections or EYU submissions to the last minute.Tools and resources I use
I rely on a combination of robust payroll software and HMRC tools in my workflow:
BrightPay for straightforward payroll runs — its RTI validation catches many errors before submission.Xero and QuickBooks when payroll links closely to the accounts — both handle RTI but watch for differences in how they treat statutory pay periods.The HMRC Employer Payment and PAYE pages and webchat — real people can confirm a tricky code quickly.If you want, tell me your exact error message and the payroll package you use — I can walk you through the specific steps in your system or suggest the best next action.
