Payroll Bureau Services
Fully managed UK payroll bureau services: accurate pay runs, RTI submissions, pension compliance and HMRC reporting handled for you, every month.
- HMRC-recognised software
- FPS filed before payday
- Auto-enrolment handled
- GDPR & data-secure
Overview
Reliable Payroll Bureau Services for UK Businesses
Payroll is one of the most sensitive parts of running a business. Pay your team late, miscalculate tax, or miss an RTI deadline, and you risk HMRC penalties and damaged staff trust. Our payroll bureau services give you the expertise of a dedicated payroll team without the cost or hassle of hiring in‑house.
As experienced payroll accountants, we process payroll for small businesses, limited companies, contractors, restaurants, care homes, retailers and growing employers across the UK. Whether you have one director on the payroll or fifty employees with mixed weekly and monthly pay frequencies, we handle the end-to-end process accurately, on time, and in full compliance with HMRC.
If you are looking to outsource payroll in the UK to a friendly, professional team that combines technology with personal service, you are in the right place.
Who Our Payroll Bureau Supports
Our company payroll services are used by employers of every size, including:
Contractors & Sole Directors
One‑person limited companies and contractor directors.
Small Businesses
Small businesses with 2–25 employees, the sweet spot for outsourced payroll.
Growing SMEs
Growing SMEs scaling to 50+ employees across multiple sites.
Hospitality
Restaurants, cafés and hospitality businesses with tronc, tips and variable hours.
Retail & E-commerce
Retailers and e‑commerce employers with seasonal staff.
Healthcare & Childcare
Care homes, nurseries and clinics with shift patterns and statutory pay.
Construction & CIS
Construction businesses requiring CIS payroll alongside PAYE.
Charities & Non-Profits
Charities, churches and not‑for‑profits.
What Is a Payroll Bureau?
A payroll bureau is a specialist service provider that runs payroll on behalf of a business. The bureau collects employee and timesheet data each pay period, calculates gross‑to‑net pay (including PAYE income tax, National Insurance, pension contributions and statutory payments), produces payslips, and submits Real Time Information (RTI) reports to HMRC.
Unlike a fully outsourced service where the provider also makes the actual payments, a payroll bureau typically gives you the BACS file or payment instructions so you retain control over money leaving your bank. This is why service bureau payroll is so popular with small businesses. You get expert processing without losing oversight.
PENSION AUTO-ENROLMENT
Pension Auto‑Enrolment, Handled End‑to‑End
Every UK employer must enrol eligible staff into a qualifying workplace pension and make ongoing contributions. As part of our payroll bureau services, we look after the entire pension auto‑enrolment process
1
Scheme setup
Initial scheme setup with NEST, The People’s Pension, Smart Pension or any other provider.
2
Monthly assessment
Monthly assessment of every employee against the eligibility thresholds.
3
Contributions
Calculation and submission of contributions each pay period.
4
Opt-in/opt-out
Opt‑in, opt‑out and cyclical re‑enrolment management.
5
Pensions Regulator
Declaration of Compliance to the Pensions Regulator.
Our Payroll Bureau Services Include
We deliver a complete end‑to‑end payroll accounting service. Every monthly fee typically covers:
✓
Weekly, Fortnightly & Monthly Pay Runs
Flexible pay frequency to suit your business needs.
✓
PAYE Registration
We register you with HMRC as an employer when you first take on staff.
✓
Real-Time Information (RTI) Submissions
Full Payment Submissions (FPS) and Employer Payment Summaries (EPS) are sent on or before each pay date.
✓
Payslip Production
Branded, compliant digital payslips delivered through a secure portal.
✓
Director Payroll
Tax‑efficient salary planning for sole‑director limited companies.
✓
Pension Auto‑Enrolment
Workplace pension setup, assessments and ongoing contributions for NEST, The People’s Pension, Smart Pension and others.
✓
Statutory Payments
SSP, SMP, SPP, SAP and shared parental pay calculated correctly.
✓
Holiday Pay & Calculations
Covering the rolling 52‑week reference period for variable‑hours employees.
✓
P45, P60 & Starter Checklists
Includes staff document preparation and on-time dispatch.
✓
CIS Payroll for Contractors
Subcontractor verification, monthly CIS returns and deduction statements.
✓
Payroll Year‑End
P60s, final FPS, and P11D benefits in kind where applicable.
✓
HMRC Correspondence
Tax code changes, student loan notices, and NI category queries are handled by us.
Payroll Bureau
PAYE, RTI & HMRC Compliance
Pay As You Earn (PAYE) is the system through which UK employers deduct income tax and National Insurance from employees’ pay and send it to HMRC. Since the introduction of Real Time Information (RTI), this must be reported on or before every payday, not annually as it once was.
If you want to learn more about how PAYE works, see our guides on what PAYE means, how PAYE is calculated and paying PAYE as an employer.
On-time FPS filing
Every FPS is filed before payday to avoid late‑filing penalties.
Correct tax codes
Tax codes are applied correctly every pay period.
Deductions handled
Student loans and earnings orders
HMRC support
Enquiries handled on your behalf
Year-end
P60s and year‑end submissions are issued on time.
Outsource Payroll in the UK: The Smart Way
More UK employers than ever are choosing to outsource payroll. The reasons are simple: payroll legislation changes every year, RTI deadlines are tight, pension compliance is ongoing, and the cost of an in‑house payroll manager can exceed £35,000 per year. With our payroll and accounting services, you get expert processing for a fraction of that cost.
Our accounting and payroll services for small business clients are particularly popular because we combine payroll with bookkeeping, VAT and year‑end accounts under one roof. That means your payroll journal posts straight into your accounts, your director’s salary is optimised with your dividends, and your company payroll is always aligned with your wider tax position.
pricing
Simple, Predictable Payroll Pricing
Our payroll bureau services are priced per employee per pay period, with a small monthly base fee, so you only pay for what you use.
£5–£15
per payslip
Discounts available on annual agreements. Get in touch for a tailored quote based on your number of employees and pay frequency.
How Our Payroll Bureau Process Works
We have designed our online payroll for accountants and business clients to be as simple as possible. Here is what each pay period looks like
1
You Send Us the Data
hours, new starters, leavers, bonuses, holidays and any one‑off changes, via email, on our secure portal or directly from your time‑tracking software.
2
We Process the Payroll
Gross‑to‑net calculations, RTI returns, pension assessments and statutory payments.
3
You Review & Approve
We send a payroll report and payslips for your sign-off before anything is filed or paid.
4
We File & Distribute
The RTI is sent to HMRC, and payslips are issued to staff via the secure portal. You receive a BACS file or payment instruction to pay your team.
5
Year-End
P60s and final submissions are processed each April automatically.
HMRC‑Recognised Software
We use HMRC‑recognised payroll software with secure cloud
Qualified Payroll Accountants
Your payroll is processed by trained professionals, not a bot.
Fixed Per‑Employee Pricing
Transparent monthly fees with no surprise charges.
On‑Time, Every Time
We guarantee FPS submissions before payday.
One Point of Contact
A dedicated accountant who knows your business and your team.
Joined‑Up Accounting
Payroll, bookkeeping, VAT and tax all under one roof; your numbers always reconcile.
GDPR & Data-Secure
Encrypted portal, UK data hosting, and strict access controls.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a payroll bureau, and how is it different from a payroll company?
A payroll bureau processes payroll on your behalf, including calculations, payslips and RTI, but leaves the actual payment of staff with you. A fully managed payroll service goes one step further and pays your staff directly via BACS. We offer both; most small UK businesses choose the bureau model because it keeps cash flow under their control.
How quickly can you take over our existing payroll?
Most clients are onboarded within 2–3 weeks. We collect your latest payroll year‑to‑date figures, employee details and pension scheme information, then run a parallel pay run for the first cycle to ensure everything matches.
What happens if HMRC contacts us about payroll?
Forward the letter to us. As your authorised agent, we deal with HMRC on your behalf, from simple tax code queries through to full compliance checks.
How much does payroll outsourcing cost in the UK?
Typical UK payroll bureau pricing ranges from £5–£15 per payslip per period, plus a small monthly base fee. We tailor a fixed quote based on your headcount, pay frequency and whether you also need pension administration or CIS.
Can you handle payroll for just one director?
Yes. Single‑director limited company payroll is one of our most common services. We set up your PAYE scheme, run an optimal director’s salary each month and handle all RTI submissions.
Do you offer online payroll for accountants?
Yes, we provide white‑label and partner payroll for accountancy firms that want to outsource the payroll side of their practice. Get in touch to discuss partnership rates.
Can you process CIS payroll for construction businesses?
Yes. We handle subcontractor verification, monthly CIS300 returns and deduction statements alongside standard PAYE payroll for any employees you have.
Ready to Hand Over Your Payroll?
Stop worrying about RTI deadlines, tax codes and pension assessments. Let our payroll accountants handle every pay run with precision, while you focus on running your business. Book a free, no-obligation consultation, and we will recommend the right service level and quote a fixed monthly fee.