PAYE and payroll for employers

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Setting up payroll

If you decide to run payroll yourself, you need to complete certain tasks to pay your employees for the first time. You can choose when and how often to pay your employees.

  1. Register as an employer with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and get a login for PAYE Online.

  2. Choose payroll software to record employee’s details, calculate pay and deductions, and report to HMRC.

  3. Collect and keep records.

  4. Tell HMRC about your employees.

  5. Record pay, make deductions and report to HMRC on or before the first payday.

  6. Pay HMRC the tax and National Insurance you owe.

You’ll also need to complete certain annual reports and tasks to prepare for the next tax year, which starts on 6 April.

  1. Step 1 Check that you’re taking on someone as an employee

    Follow these steps if you want to take on someone with the employment status of ‘employee’ for the first time.

    1. Check who counts as an employee

    The rules are different if you want to take on someone with another type of employment status, such as agency staff, freelancers, consultants and contractors.

    1. Check your responsibilities when you take on someone with a different employment status and contract type
  2. and Check you can afford to take on employees

  3. Step 2 Make your workplace safe and accessible for employees

  4. Step 3 Register as an employer and set up PAYE

    You need to register with HMRC so you can pay tax and national insurance for your employees.

    1. Register as an employer and set up PAYE
    2. Choose how to run payroll
    3. If you decide to run payroll yourself, choose payroll software
  5. Step 4 Check your responsibilities around workplace pensions

  6. Step 5 Get Employers' Liability insurance

  7. Step 6 Recruit and employ someone