“I am taking on my first employee.”
Let us talk through the setup, the information you need and the cost of employing someone beyond their salary.
Plan your first payrollYou care about the people who help your business grow. We help you look after their payroll, with clear payslips, HMRC reporting and someone to talk to when life changes.
Weekly, fortnightly or monthly payroll for UK businesses, with an agreed fixed fee and a dedicated contact.
A friendly conversation about your business. No obligation to go ahead.
You might be employing someone for the first time, spending evenings on payroll or wondering how to put a problem right. Tell us what is happening. We will help you find the next step.
Let us talk through the setup, the information you need and the cost of employing someone beyond their salary.
Plan your first payrollHand over the agreed processing and reporting, with a clear timetable and a person who understands your business.
Explore our payroll supportA payslip, a tax code or an HMRC letter? You do not need to know the answer before asking for help.
Talk through a payroll concernPayroll should leave you knowing what is being paid, what is due and what needs your attention.
We agree the support your business needs, then build a repeatable routine around it. That can include employee and director payroll, payslips, PAYE and National Insurance calculations, and Real Time Information reporting to HMRC.
When an employee asks about their pay, you deserve a clear explanation you can take back to them.
| Area of support | What we help with | What you gain |
|---|---|---|
| Regular pay runs | Agreed salaries, approved hours, overtime and deductions, processed to your pay frequency. | A consistent routine for the information you supply and approve. |
| Payslips & reports | Payslips and summaries showing net pay, deductions and employer liabilities. | Figures you can use to arrange payments and understand payroll costs. |
| HMRC reporting | Full Payment Submissions (FPS) and Employer Payment Summaries (EPS), where required within the agreed service. | Help keeping payroll reporting organised. |
| People joining or leaving | Starter information, P45s, changes to pay and final payroll details. | A clear route for the moments that need extra attention. |
| Pensions & statutory pay | Agreed pension administration and applicable statutory pay calculations. | Support with changes in your employees’ circumstances. |
| Year end & questions | Payroll year-end work, P60s where required, and help understanding payroll queries or HMRC correspondence. | A contact beyond the regular pay run. |
Your proposal confirms the exact scope. Pension duties, benefits reporting, CIS and historical corrections are discussed individually where relevant.
Tell us how many people you pay, how often you pay them and what you would like help with. We will explain the service and agree a fixed fee before work begins.
| Team size | How many employees and directors need payroll. |
|---|---|
| Pay frequency | Weekly, fortnightly or monthly processing. |
| Moving parts | Variable hours, pensions, statutory pay and other requirements. |
| Starting position | A new setup, a standard handover or records needing additional work. |
We set out what is included, how changes to your service affect the fee, and any additional work that needs a separate quote. Standard switching is free; catch-up work and historical corrections are assessed separately.
We agree when you send changes, who approves the figures and when the pay run needs to be completed. A little clarity before payday gives everyone a better starting point.
Send approved hours, new starters, leavers, absences and pay changes by your agreed cut-off.
We process the information and raise questions where something needs checking or clarifying.
Your authorised contact checks the draft figures and confirms they reflect what should be paid.
We finalise payslips, handle the agreed HMRC reporting and provide the information needed for payments.
Processing payroll and moving money are separate steps. You arrange payments to employees, HMRC and your pension provider unless a different arrangement is expressly agreed. As the employer, you remain responsible for your PAYE duties; we make the division of work clear.
Your information cut-off is the date we agree together. HMRC and pension deadlines are separate. We help you understand how they fit around your business.
| Task | Usual timing | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| FPS reporting | On or before employees’ payday, unless an exception applies. | Approve the payroll in time for the report to be submitted. |
| Payslips | On or before payday. | Agree how employees will receive or access them. |
| EPS, when required | Normally by the 19th following the relevant tax month. | Needed in particular circumstances, including some adjustments or months with no employee payments. |
| Electronic PAYE payment | By the 22nd of the next tax month; qualifying quarterly payers follow the quarterly schedule. | Allow time for your chosen payment method to reach HMRC. |
| P60s | By 31 May for employees on your payroll who were working for you on 5 April. | Part of the payroll year-end process. |
| Pension contributions | Follow the applicable deadlines and your provider’s schedule. | Confirm who uploads contribution information and who arranges payment. |
Guidance checked 28 September 2026. See HMRC on FPS reporting, EPS reporting, PAYE payments, payslips and P60s. Individual circumstances can change what is required.
We give you a practical checklist and agree how payroll information will be shared. If something is missing, tell us early so we can work out what is needed.
For your first chat, keep it simple: your staff count, pay frequency and next payday are enough to start. Please save salary records, National Insurance numbers and bank details for the agreed secure document route after onboarding.
A new baby, sickness absence, changing hours or retirement plans can bring unfamiliar questions. We help you understand the payroll implications and agree what needs to happen.
We can support employee assessments, contribution calculations and agreed pension administration. We also clarify responsibility for communications, declarations and re-enrolment.
Pension duties begin when your first member of staff starts. Running payroll alone does not cover every duty.
Read the regulator’s guidanceTell us about relevant dates and circumstances so applicable statutory pay can be assessed. Contractual pay and statutory entitlements need to be considered together.
Leave rights and pay eligibility are different questions. We explain the payroll position and identify where separate employment advice is needed.
Read HMRC’s sick pay guidanceApproved hours and absence records matter, especially when someone’s working pattern changes. Holiday pay methods depend on the worker’s circumstances.
We help establish the relevant payroll treatment; one percentage or method should not be applied to everyone.
Read Acas holiday pay guidance
Some teams work the same hours each week. Others change with bookings, shifts or the season. Your payroll routine should reflect how your business actually works.
Guidance on payroll setup, records and the first pay run.
Salary processing considered alongside your company’s wider position.
Regular processing with a clear route for starters, leavers and changes.
Agreed cut-offs for approved timesheets, overtime and adjustments.
We also support hospitality businesses and construction companies. CIS subcontractor reporting is separate from employee payroll and should be agreed separately.
You do not need to organise a handover alone. We begin with your next payday, your current position and the support you want.
We discuss your team, pay arrangements, current provider and anything that is worrying you.
You receive a clear scope and fee. We agree responsibilities, communication and a realistic first pay run.
With your authority, we coordinate the handover or help with a new setup, checking the information needed to begin.
We confirm cut-offs and approvals, then keep the agreed payroll cycle moving with you.
A change of provider does not have to wait until April. A mid-year move may be possible once the records and timing are checked. Year-to-date figures and employee payroll identifiers need careful handling. We agree the handover before committing to a start date.
Our standard switching process is free. If earlier payroll needs correcting or rebuilding, we explain the work and quote separately.
An unexpected deduction or HMRC notice can feel personal when it affects someone’s pay. Tell us what has happened and when the next deadline falls.
We will review the position, explain what information is needed and discuss the options. If corrections or additional work are required, we agree the scope and fee first.
If payday is close, call 01244 730 300 so we can discuss timing. We assess urgent work before confirming what can be completed.
There is room for your questions here. The small ones, the unfamiliar ones and the ones you have been putting off.
We agree who you speak to, how you send changes and how questions are followed up. Whether you prefer a conversation or a written explanation, we want you to feel heard and understand the next step.
We also agree how employee queries reach us through your authorised contact, so personal payroll information is handled with care.
Talk through the detail and ask us to explain anything that is unclear.
Meet from your office or home and work through documents together on screen.
Use email for everyday questions and keep agreed actions easy to refer back to.
We agree how to share payroll records through our client portal, with access for the appropriate people.
Prefer to sit down together? Office meetings near Chester are available by arrangement.
Where a visit would help, we can discuss travelling to your business by arrangement.
Brief excerpts from feedback on our wider accountancy service.
“All the team work tirelessly to help.”
“They have been so helpful”
“kept in touch with me”
These are general Swift client reviews, not payroll-specific case studies. Read the full client feedback or meet the people behind Swift.
These answers give you a starting point. Your business and your employees’ circumstances determine the details.
Have a question that is not here?
Call us on 01244 730 300
.
It handles the payroll tasks you agree with your provider, such as calculations, payslips, reports and HMRC submissions. At Swift, we also agree a contact, information cut-offs and an approval process. You supply accurate records, approve the payroll and retain your responsibilities as the employer.
A small payroll can still involve unfamiliar rules and regular deadlines. We can discuss support for a single employee or a director, as well as larger teams. The right level of help depends on your needs and the work involved.
We quote after understanding your staff numbers, pay frequency, pension arrangements and any additional requirements. You receive a fixed fee and a defined scope before we begin. Historical corrections, catch-up work or extra services are discussed separately.
Yes. We support weekly, fortnightly and monthly pay runs. We agree the schedule, cut-off for changes and approval process so the service fits how you pay your team.
Yes. We can discuss PAYE setup, the records needed for the first employee, workplace pension responsibilities and the first pay run. Contact us before their first payday so there is time to establish the appropriate arrangements.
We can include agreed pension administration. Your proposal should identify who handles assessments, contribution information, employee communications, declarations and re-enrolment, and who pays the contributions. Those responsibilities need to be clear from the beginning.
Payroll processing provides the figures and agreed reporting. You arrange the actual payments to employees, HMRC and your pension provider unless a separate arrangement has been expressly agreed. We explain this clearly when setting up your service.
A starter checklist helps collect the information needed to work out the initial payroll treatment. Tell us early if information is missing. We will explain what is needed for that employee instead of asking you to guess.
We can review the payroll information and explain how the code or deduction has been applied. HMRC controls tax codes, and an employee may need to contact HMRC about their personal circumstances. We help establish which part needs attention.
Often, yes, subject to the records and timing being suitable. We review year-to-date pay and deductions, employee payroll identifiers and pension information before agreeing the transfer. A standard handover is free; any historical remedial work is quoted separately.
Contact us as soon as you know. We will assess whether it can be included, whether a correction is needed and what that means for reporting and payments. An additional run or correction may require extra work, which we discuss with you.
We agree the route for employee questions with you during onboarding. Queries normally come through your authorised business contact, unless a different arrangement is agreed. This helps us respond with the right context and protect confidential information.
We can support director salaries through payroll, taking account of the relevant rules. A sole trader’s own drawings are different from employee wages and are not paid to themselves through PAYE. A sole trader who employs staff may still need payroll for those employees.
No. CIS subcontractor reporting, benefits in kind, P11Ds and payrolling of benefits have separate requirements. Tell us what applies to your business so we can agree the appropriate services and fees alongside your employee payroll.
Yes, we can review the issue and discuss the assistance needed. Share the deadline first, then provide records through the agreed route. We assess additional or historical work before confirming the scope, fee and achievable timing.
No. We support UK businesses through phone calls, email, Teams or video meetings and our client portal. You can also arrange an office meeting in Tattenhall, near Chester, or discuss a visit to your premises.
Tell us about your team, your next payday and what you would like to feel more confident about. We will listen, explain how we can help and give you a clear way forward.
No obligation. No need to have every answer ready.
Listening,
Understanding,
Advising
Tell us what you need help with. We’ll call you to understand your situation, explain how we can help and agree the next steps.