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Offering payroll services to clients may seem straightforward for accountants: calculate director and employee pay each month, deduct the correct amount of income and employment tax and submit information to HMRC when due. In reality, running a payroll for clients is complex and high-risk for many firms.
Errors in client payroll calculations, or the failure to submit information and payments to HMRC on time, can result in large fines and penalties for clients. UK accountants often find the case for outsourcing payroll work to be compelling to reduce risk and ensure compliance.
Why Client Payroll Services Matter for UK Accountants
When offering payroll services to clients, accountants must ensure every aspect of the service meets UK employment law and HMRC rules. This includes:
- Real Time Information (RTI) submissions – Clients who employ people or pay themselves as a director using PAYE must report employee pay and deductions every time they run a payroll. The payrolling of benefits in kind is a further complication accountants need to be aware of.
- Income Tax and National Insurance deductions – A payroll may be fixed or variable and could be run weekly or monthly. Regardless of the complexity of individual clients, accountants must ensure the accuracy and completeness of every payroll run.
- Pension auto-enrolment – Employees (unless they choose to opt out) must be enrolled in a qualifying scheme, with contributions calculated accurately and submitted to an approved pension provider each month.
- Statutory pay – Maternity, paternity, sick pay, and holiday pay must be calculated and reported accurately. With major changes to UK employment law affecting workers rights, it is essential to obtain the latest, compliant employment advice.
- GDPR compliance – Payroll data is sensitive and must be processed securely.
Clients expect accountants to provide a fully compliant payroll service, supported by effective advice, and to take responsibility if errors occur.
How outsourcing helps accountants minimise payroll risks and stay compliant
Many accountants struggle to find the experts they need to deliver a fully compliant payroll service. At Unison Globus UK, our professional team provides:
- Payroll experts who apply the latest HMRC and employment law rules
- Seamless use of all major cloud-based payroll and accounting software.
- Expertise in pensions auto-enrolment, RTI, NICs, statutory pay, and GDPR compliance
- Secure systems and processes that protect client data.
With our support, accountants can deliver accurate and timely payroll services while protecting clients from costly fines.
Here are the top risks our outsourced payroll services help UK accountants manage.
| Risk | How outsourcing with Unison Globus UK helps |
|---|---|
| Meeting HMRC deadlines to submit RTI |
|
| Errors in tax coding |
|
| Accuracy of National Insurance Contributions (NIC) |
|
| Errors in Auto-Enrolment |
|
| Errors in Statutory Pay |
|
| Compliance with Minimum Wage requirements |
|
| Late or Incorrect Payments to HMRC |
|
| Accuracy of Payroll Records |
|
| GDPR and Data Security |
|
| Keeping up to date with legislation |
|
Other Benefits of Outsourcing Client Payroll Services
Payroll requires qualified professionals who keep their knowledge up to date with industry and legislative changes. Many accountants lack the in-house capacity to manage these requirements, particularly around tax year-end and statutory deadlines. Outsourcing payroll offers accountants the scope to:
- Save Time – The onshore team spends less time on payroll administration and more time helping clients and upselling services
- Cost-Efficiency – The cost of payroll software, staff training, and compliance is eliminated
- Scalability – Scope to take on more payroll clients without increasing the number of directly employed staff
- Client Confidence – Clients trust their accountant to run an effective payroll service
- Peace of Mind – Confidence that client payroll is handled correctly, every time.
Looking for scalable, compliant payroll outsourcing? Book a free trial with Unison Globus UK.
Unison Globus UK: Your Offshore Payroll Partner
At Unison Globus UK, we specialise in helping accountants streamline payroll operations and scale through professional, affordable offshore solutions. Our professional teams deliver all payroll and pension services including:
- Weekly or monthly payslips
- Payroll reports
- Director and variable payroll
- PAYE scheme setup with HMRC
- PAYE and NIC calculations
- RTI submissions
- Pension reporting and auto-enrolment
- P60s, P45s, and P11Ds
- CIS for contractors/sub-contractors
- Statutory payment management
- New company payroll setup and employee onboarding.
Want to Learn More?
We provide a free trial of up to 10 hours of accountant time, with turnaround in 72 hours. If you’re looking to outsource services for the first time, increase margins, and help your clients meet MTD IT responsibilities, you can book a video call with one of our expert advisors or email us at [email protected]
