Basic PAYE Tools cannot be opened after update to the latest version 25.1

Hi, I cannot open the application with showing up the error "The application encountered an error in the startup process." And I found the log file and it showing the error as below: 2025-04-06 17:16:32.202 - Info: migrations finished with exit code: 255 2025-04-06 17:41:50.618 - Info: === Starting Application === 2025-04-06 17:41:50.619 - Info: Application version: 25.1.25092.226 2025-04-06 17:41:50.619 - Info: Working directory: C:/Program Files/HMRC/payetools-rti 2025-04-06 17:41:50.619 - Info: Logging to C:/Users/ardic/AppData/Roaming\HMRC\payetools-rti\logs\rti-shell.log 2025-04-06 17:41:50.619 - Info: Application directory: C:/Program Files/HMRC/payetools-rti 2025-04-06 17:41:51.667 - Info: Starting migrations 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] 3268 ================================================================================ 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] 3268 Version 25.1.25092.226 started at 2025-04-06 17:41:51.737000 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] Traceback (most recent call last): 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "manage.py", line 12, in 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "django\core\management\__init__.pyc", line 432, in execute_from_command_line 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "django\core\management\__init__.pyc", line 425, in execute 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "django\core\management\__init__.pyc", line 294, in fetch_command 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "django\core\management\__init__.pyc", line 135, in get_commands 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "django\core\management\__init__.pyc", line 38, in find_commands 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] File "django_offline\settings_central.pyc", line 339, in 2025-04-06 17:41:51.738 - Info: [migrations] UnicodeDecodeError: 'ascii' codec can't decode byte 0xa8 in position 10: ordinal not in range(128) 2025-04-06 17:41:51.745 - Info: migrations finished with exit code: 255

Hi,
We are sorry to hear you are having issues accessing the Basic PAYE Tool.
Please see the following link:
Basic PAYE Tools — service availability and issues
Thank you

I have just tried using the link and am still getting the same error message saying unable to start correctly. Cannot get through to anyone to help!!

I have the same issue and the above messages from my "Log file" are the same. Are there anyone can help and slove this issue?

Hi I tried to log onnthe Basic Tools today and followed the instruction to upgrade. Now I cannot access , the error message I am getting is Oxc0000005. Is there anything I can do ?

I am experiencing the same issue after the latest update.

Hi,
Please contact our online services team for advice.
Technical support with HMRC online services
Thank you.

I had problems of loading up BPT since Monday 7th of April to update tax codes for 25/26 but it won't load up BPT which stated load up error. I did check Adobe Reader updates and also checked HMRC Website for further BPT updates but there is no none at the moment. I did try to contact with one of online advisors yesterday afternoon but it kept saying that no one available to chat with me to sort out major issue with software. I did virus check as well. I tried whole week to access BPT but no joy at all.

Hello , I ran paye basic tools on an old Mac box pro and can’t upload the latest update for year 25/26. So can not do P60’s ect . Can you advise please ?