payroll
5 UK Payroll Switching Stories
Most businesses don’t decide against changing payroll providers. They just decide they’re too busy and they’ll “do it later.” And later probably seems reasonable. There’s a lot on, the current system “basically” works, and nobody wants to be the person who broke payday. So switching payroll providers goes on the list for the next quarter, […]
What the six-year records rule means for HR and payroll
The Employment Rights Act 2025 has introduced a number of changes for UK businesses, including a new statutory duty to keep holiday and holiday pay records for a minimum of six years, what this article calls the ‘six-year records rule’, which came into effect on 6 April 2026. The newly launched Fair Work Agency (FWA) […]
How to Use AI in Payroll Management & Processing
Running payroll is one of those jobs that sounds straightforward until you’re actually doing it. According to Employment Hero commissioned research, 2 in 3 businesses manage payroll in house with software, so it’s clear that many UK business owners and HR professionals are navigating variable hours, National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW/NLW) updates, pension auto-enrolment, […]
How to Eliminate Manual Pension Uploads in UK Payroll
Why are you still logging into NEST every pay run? If you’re downloading contribution files from your payroll system, manually uploading them to your pension provider and then reconciling payments, you’re spending valuable time every single pay run on a task that shouldn’t exist anymore. With 1 in 3 businesses (35%) spending 3+ days a […]
9 payroll metrics every UK professional should track
Anyone who runs payroll knows that getting it right comes down to more than just moving numbers around. And that train of thought is finally catching on, according to Employment Hero commissioned research in 2025, 75% of businesses agreeing that payroll is a strategic function, not just operational*. Effective reporting is one of the best […]
How to Manage Payroll During Rapid Growth
Growth is exciting. Signing new clients, opening new locations, hiring talented people. It’s what you’ve been working towards. But there’s a less glamorous side to scaling fast: your payroll process starts to crack. What worked perfectly when you had 15 employees becomes shaky at 40. By the time you hit 80, it’s held together with […]
What is payroll processing? How to process payroll
As an HR or payroll manager, you have the critical responsibility of ensuring everyone is paid correctly and on time. Even one mistake can put employees’ trust and the organisation’s reputation at risk. Payroll processing, therefore, is a key task and one that need to be done in the right way. Research by Marlin PR […]
Payroll year end checklist 2025/26: What your business needs to do
Payroll year end is just around the corner. But when is the HMRC deadline for payroll year end, we hear you ask? It’s 19 April for your final submission. And for your final pay as you earn (PAYE) payment, it’s 19 April if paying via post, and 22 April for digital payment. Ideally, when sorting […]
How to calculate UK payroll taxes in 2026: A step-by-step guide for small business owners
Payroll tax can be calculated manually, but thankfully we have software to help make it easier. Payroll tax is a notoriously confusing area for small business owners, especially those new to managing employees. Getting it wrong can lead to penalties, employee dissatisfaction, and a lot of wasted time. In this comprehensive guide, we break down […]
How to create a payroll contingency plan for your UK business
It’s a scenario that can make any business owner’s stomach drop. Your payroll manager, the one who holds the keys to paying your team, suddenly leaves. Questions like “how will everyone get paid” or “what about tax compliance and deadlines” are floating around in your mind. We get it, it’s not an ideal situation. But […]