Payroll services · London

Payroll services in London

An established, CIPP-member bureau running payroll for London employers, from City salaries and bonuses to hospitality rotas, tronc and tips, without central London agency rates.

Get a quote Call 01443 402116

✓ No obligation  ·  ✓ Same-day reply  ·  ✓ Free switch

60+ yrsCombined experience
Since 2006Doing payroll
5From Google reviews
250+Active clients
Chartered Institute of Payroll ProfessionalsICAEW (Chartered Accountants)ICO registeredCyber Essentials certified

London is the busiest employer market in the country, and one of the most demanding to run payroll in. Between high salaries, complex benefits, high staff turnover and shift patterns that never sit still, a London pay run can eat hours you do not have. We take the whole job off your desk and run it from our office in Pontypridd, South Wales.

To be clear from the outset: we do not have an office in London. We are a South Wales bureau that looks after employers all over the UK, and a good number of them are London based. Payroll is a digital process now, so where we sit makes no practical difference to how well your staff get paid. What you get instead is a named person who knows your account and answers the phone, without paying central London agency rates for it.

London's business landscape

No two London employers look the same, and the payroll they need reflects that. We work with early stage startups in Shoreditch and around Old Street who are hiring their first handful of employees and want payroll set up properly before it becomes a mess. We work with professional services firms in the City and Canary Wharf, where salaries are high, bonuses and commission are common, and a single error on a senior person's pay is a conversation nobody wants to have.

A large share of our London work is hospitality and retail, where the real challenge is not the pay rate but the volume of moving parts: rotas, variable hours, tronc and tips, holiday accrual for part-time staff and a workforce that turns over quickly. Add in agencies, care providers, creative studios and the many small businesses spread across Greater London, from Croydon to Stratford, and the common thread is simple. Staff costs are high, margins are watched closely, and payroll has to be exactly right every single time.

How remote payroll works

Running your payroll from South Wales rather than a London office changes nothing about the service, because none of the important parts depend on being in the same building as you. Every RTI submission is filed online with HMRC, on or before each pay date, the same way it would be from any office in the country. Your payroll is processed accurately each period, and payslips are delivered securely and digitally, so your people can see their pay wherever they are, which suits a workforce that is rarely all in one place.

You are not left talking to a chatbot or a rotating call centre either. You get a named contact who handles your account, reachable by phone and email during working hours, and who actually knows how your business runs. Documents move between us securely, we are registered with the ICO for data protection, and the whole cycle happens on a schedule you can rely on. In practice, most of our London clients could not tell you where their payroll is processed, only that it is right and on time.

What we handle

We run the full payroll cycle so you can hand it over and forget about it. That covers weekly, fortnightly or monthly pay runs, starters and leavers, PAYE and National Insurance calculations, statutory payments such as sick, maternity and paternity pay, and student loan deductions. We handle the parts that trip London employers up most often: pension auto-enrolment and re-enrolment with your chosen provider, salary sacrifice arrangements, and the tips, tronc and commission that hospitality and sales-led businesses deal with constantly.

At year end we take care of your final submissions, P60s and P11D reporting where benefits apply, so there is no scramble in April. If you would rather understand the full scope before committing, our outsourced payroll page walks through exactly what a fully managed service includes and what stays with you.

Transparent pricing

Our pricing is simple and published, which is rarer than it should be. Payroll is a fixed £5 per employee, per month, plus VAT, with no setup fees and no charges that only appear once you have signed. You pay for the people you actually pay, so a small team stays inexpensive and a larger workforce still costs a fraction of hiring in-house or using a London agency. For high-cost employers in the capital, that gap is often the difference that pays for the service several times over.

You can see the full breakdown on our pricing page, and when you are ready we will put together a clear, no-obligation quote based on how many people you pay and how often. Just get a quote and we will come back the same day.

How to switch to us

Switching payroll provider sounds like a hassle, and employers often stay put longer than they should because of it. It is more straightforward than you would expect, and moving to us is free. We collect a few details from your current setup, such as your PAYE reference, recent payslips and pension information, register as your agent with HMRC, and carry your figures over so year-to-date totals stay accurate and nobody's pay is disrupted.

You can move at any point in the year, though the start of a new tax month or quarter is often tidiest. We handle the heavy lifting and keep you informed at each step, so the first pay run we process lands exactly like the last one you ran yourself, only without you having to do it. Whether you are a two-person startup or a growing London business with staff spread across the City, Canary Wharf and beyond, the promise is the same: your people paid correctly on payday, for a clear, fixed price.

Areas we cover near London

As well as London, we look after payroll for businesses across the surrounding area, including the City, Canary Wharf, Croydon, Stratford, Greater London and beyond. Wherever you are, your payroll is run the same way: accurately, on time, and off your plate.

What clients say

Trusted by businesses like yours for years

5.0 on Google Reviews
★★★★★
Enquiries are answered quickly which is important in our fast moving business and the team are very friendly. Complicated information is broken down and simplified so anyone can understand it.
Ben Gurner
★★★★★
We've been using Gareth and the team for many years for our payroll. Great efficient service and prompt replies. I also find them very cost effective. They were particularly supportive with the Job Retention Scheme.
Laura Hennessy
★★★★★
Nora and her team have dealt with our payroll since we opened in 2008, always patiently explaining things I don't understand. Flawless service, always on hand, efficient and professional.
G Grimstead
★★★★★
Absolutely brilliant, I couldn't do payroll without Nora and her team. Throughout the pandemic they administered all of my furlough payments and I have not had to worry about any of it.
Rachel Luntz
★★★★★
We have been a client of Nora (EPS) since 2006, we have always received first class service and support throughout this time. Supportive and professional.
Stephen Farmer
★★★★★
We've been using Effective Payroll Solutions for over five years and we would highly recommend them to any business large or small for their professionalism and service.
Paul Stewart

Get a payroll quote in London

Tell us how many people you pay and how often. We will send a clear, no-obligation quote the same day.

Get a quote Call 01443 402116

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