Payroll
Services Essex

Under the Pensions Act 2008, all UK employers must automatically enrol eligible workers into a qualifying pension scheme and contribute at least 3% of qualifying earnings. You must also write to all staff about auto-enrolment and complete a Declaration of Compliance with The Pensions Regulator. We handle the full auto-enrolment process including choosing a scheme, communicating with employees and ongoing administration.

Under Real Time Information (RTI), you must submit a Full Payment Submission (FPS) to HMRC on or before each payday — not at the end of the month or year. Late submissions can result in penalties starting at £100 per month. We submit every FPS on time, every time, so your Essex business is always compliant.

Statutory Sick Pay is paid to eligible employees who are off sick for more than three consecutive days. The current rate is set by HMRC and must be paid for up to 28 weeks. We calculate SSP correctly alongside regular pay and ensure your payroll records reflect it accurately — important if HMRC ever audits your records.

Yes — CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) payroll is a speciality of ours. Contractors must deduct money from a subcontractor's payments and pass it to HMRC. The deduction rate depends on the subcontractor's verification status. We verify subcontractors with HMRC, calculate the correct CIS deductions and submit monthly returns — keeping Essex contractors fully compliant.

When you hire a new starter you need to collect their starter declaration (or P45), set them up in your payroll software with the correct tax code, check their right to work in the UK, enrol them in your pension scheme if eligible, and issue a written statement of employment particulars within two months. We handle every step of the new starter process seamlessly.

Absolutely. Many Essex businesses in hospitality, retail and care sectors rely on variable hours staff. We run payroll accurately for any working pattern — whether someone works 40 hours a week or 4 hours a fortnight. We ensure tax codes, NI calculations and pension contributions are correct for every employee regardless of their hours.

This is one of the most important and often misunderstood distinctions in employment law. HMRC applies an IR35-style test to determine whether someone is genuinely self-employed or actually an employee. Getting it wrong means unpaid PAYE, NI and significant penalties. We advise Essex businesses on employment status and ensure your arrangements are correctly structured and documented.

Yes — most of our Essex clients combine payroll with bookkeeping for a complete monthly package. Having one team handle both means your books and payroll are always aligned, your month-end reconciliation is seamless and you have one point of contact for all financial matters. Ask us about our combined service packages.

Switching payroll provider is much simpler than most businesses expect. We handle the transition, including obtaining the necessary information from your previous provider, setting up your employees in our systems and ensuring your first pay run with us is accurate. Call us on 01268 799919 or fill in the contact form and we will guide you through the process.