ERROR: 'Unable to connect to Government Gateway - 0003'

Summary

What to do if you see this error when attempting a submission to HMRC in Sage 50 Payroll or Sage 50 P11D.

Description

When trying to submit forms to the Government Gateway, the following message appears:

'Unable to connect to Government Gateway - 0003'

Resolution

HMRC changes

Further to our communications, HMRC introduced changes to their online services on 9 May 2024.

Error 0003 appears if you try to submit RTI using an affected version of Windows:

  • Windows 7
  • Windows 8
  • Server 2008
  • Server 2012 or 2012R2

Check your Windows version

  1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard.
  2. Type winver then click OK.

If you're using an affected operating system, visit our changes to HMRC online services article. Where you're using a supported operating system, continue to the next section.

BT Home or Business hub

If you use a BT Home or Business Hub, turn off your router, and wait 30 seconds before turning it back on. Then re-try the submission with your computer's firewall switched off.

Where this works, switch your firewall back on and exclude the relevant Sage URLs. Modify your antivirus software to avoid conflicts with your Sage software to resolve this.

If this doesn't resolve the issue or you don't use BT Home or Business hub, continue to the steps below.

System checks

  1. Ensure your Windows system date is correct.
  2. Check you're using Internet Explorer version nine or above.
  3. If you normally use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when using your software, check the connection is active.

Sage 50 Payroll-specific steps

If you see this error in Sage 50 Payroll, follow the steps below.

NOTE:

If you're using Sage 50 P11D and the steps above didn't resolve the issue, contact Sage technical support.

  1. In Sage Payroll, click Help then click About.
  2. Under Program Details, check you're using Sage 50 Payroll

    v32.00.297

    .
    If not, download and install the latest version of Sage 50 Payroll.
  3. In Sage Payroll click Help, then click e-Submission Version Check.

If a message appears prompting you to download the updated files from the Sage website, continue with the following steps.

Delete the GAC_MSIL files

Close Sage 50 Payroll before you complete the steps below. The steps below include reinstalling the program to recreate the six files you need to delete.

Check your Windows profile has full access to C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Sage before completing these steps.

  1. Close Sage 50 Payroll.
  2. Press the Windows key + R, then enter C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Sage\Internet Submissions\v5.
  3. Click OK, then delete the following files:
    • Esubs.model
    • Esubs.model.interfaces
    • Esubs.view
    • Esubs.viewmodel
    • SgEData
    • SgELauncher
  4. Reinstall Sage 50 Payroll.

Test if you've resolved the issue. If the issue still occurs, follow the Microsoft.NET framework article, then reinstall Sage 50 Payroll.

Solution Properties

Solution ID
200427112248218
Last Modified Date
Wed Apr 29 14:44:37 UTC 2026
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