Payroll
Annual Leave – Employers will need to retain records for 6 years
Annual Leave – Employers will need to retain records for 6 years From 6 April 2026, under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers are required to keep records on annual leave and holiday pay for a period of six years. This will be a major change for employers with the current approach tending to be…
Read MoreStudent Loan Repayment Interest capped at 6%
Student Loan Repayment Interest capped at 6% The government is capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% from 1 September 2026, instead of RPI +3%, for the 2026/27 academic year. This will affect students and graduates in England and Wales and is against a backdrop of a Bank of…
Read MorePayroll changes as state pension age rises
Payroll changes as state pension age rises Upcoming changes to the state pension age for men and women will see retirement age increase from 66 to 67 years, affecting payroll and national insurance contributions. From 6 April 2026, the increase will be phased in over the course of two years, meaning that people born between…
Read MoreSmall employers’ relief (SER) rate of compensation for statutory sick pay and other benefits increase from 06 April 2026
Small employers’ relief (SER) rate of compensation for statutory sick pay and other benefits increase from 06 April 2026 Employers who qualify for small employers’ relief (SER) will be able to reclaim a higher percentage from HMRC to offset their costs as the rate increases to 9%. Employers can currently reclaim 92% of employees’ statutory…
Read MoreOver 5m people had the wrong tax code in the last year!
Over 5m people had the wrong tax code in the last year! Reports suggest that HMRC overcharged employees £3.5bn in income tax last year, with 5.6m people paying too much due to mistakes on tax codes in the PAYE system. The massive £3.5bn tax overcharge was disclosed in a freedom of information request. While taxpayers…
Read MoreNational living wage rate goes up 4.1%
National living wage rate goes up 4.1% The government has confirmed above inflation rises in the national living wage with a 4.1% rise, while national minimum wage will go up 8.5% from 1 April 2026. This year’s hike to national living wage is down on last year’s 6.7%, which caught employers off guard. This time…
Read MoreNational Insurance Contributions are up £5bn on same time last year!
National Insurance Contributions are up £5bn on same time last year! The overall National Insurance Contributions (NIC’s) take has increased by £11.76bn between April and June 2025, soaring to £209.6bn in just three months, with almost £5bn of this increase coming directly from employers’ NICs. Income tax, capital gains tax and NICs have accounted for…
Read MoreHMRC announces a digital PAYE system
HMRC announces a digital PAYE system Over 30 million workers across the UK will soon be able to access their taxes easier than before as HMRC unveils its PAYE service and announces around 50 measures to transform the UK’s tax and customs system. One of the first of the changes will be that taxpayers will…
Read MoreSpring Statement 2025 – High Income Child Benefit via PAYE from August 2025
Spring Statement 2025 – High Income Child Benefit via PAYE from August 2025 From August 2025, employed individuals earning over £60,000 and falling under high-income child benefit charge (HICBC) will be able to report their family’s child benefit payments through a new HMRC online service. Individuals will need to register with HMRC, and then they…
Read MoreThe importance of payroll forecasting as the employer NI increases loom!
The importance of payroll forecasting as the employer NI increases loom! With 6 April 2025 looming which is the start date for employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) to increase, working with your accountant is a crucial part of your plans to guide your business through the financial and operational implications. The rise in employer NICs…
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