Payroll services
Pay people accurately. Keep every payroll deadline on track.
From director-only companies to small and growing teams, we’ll handle the payroll calculations, payslips and reporting to HMRC, keep changes organised and explain what we need from you before each pay run.
Quick start
Ask about payroll
Share who needs paying, how often and what is causing concern.
Who we support
Payroll support shaped around the people you pay.
Payroll responsibilities can begin with a single director and become more involved as employees, pay arrangements and pension duties are added. We’ll tailor the payroll process around the size of the team and the agreed pay schedule.
Director-only companies
We can operate regular payroll for one or more directors, calculate the agreed salary and complete the required reporting to HMRC.
Businesses employing their first person
We’ll help establish the payroll process, collect the information needed for the new employee and explain the recurring information you must provide.
Small employers
For businesses with a consistent team, we’ll calculate pay, deductions and employer liabilities, issue payslips and maintain a dependable payroll timetable.
Growing teams
As new employees, leavers, pay changes and pension duties increase the workload, we’ll keep the payroll records and submissions organised.
Employers changing payroll provider
We’ll agree an appropriate transfer point, collect the year-to-date payroll information and help move the recurring process across without unnecessarily recreating completed pay runs.
Our service covers payroll administration and connected workplace pension submissions. It does not include HR or employment-law advice, but we’ll make the payroll information available if you need to work with an appropriate HR or legal adviser.
What we take care of
The calculations, documents and submissions behind every pay run.
We’ll agree the payroll frequency, responsibilities and timetable before the service begins. You provide accurate information about your people and any changes by the agreed cut-off date; we’ll process the payroll and complete the connected reporting.
Payroll calculations
Calculate gross pay, Income Tax, National Insurance, pension deductions and other agreed payroll adjustments using the information provided.
Payslips
Produce clear payslips for each employee or director and make them available through the agreed secure process.
Reporting to HMRC
Prepare and submit the required Real Time Information reports, including the relevant Full Payment Submission and Employer Payment Summary.
Starters and leavers
Add new employees using the information provided, apply the appropriate starter details and produce the relevant leaving information when employment ends.
Statutory payments
Calculate applicable statutory payments—such as statutory sick, maternity, paternity or adoption pay—where the necessary information and eligibility details have been provided.
Workplace pensions
Assess the workforce for automatic-enrolment purposes, calculate pension contributions and complete submissions to NOW: Pensions or another supported provider.
PAYE payment information
Confirm the payroll taxes and other amounts shown as payable so the business knows what needs to be paid and when.
Payroll year end
Complete the relevant final payroll reporting for the tax year and provide the required employee documents.
A complete payroll record for the business, its people, HMRC and the selected pension provider.
Starting payroll
Get the employer setup right before the first payday.
Employing someone introduces payroll, HMRC reporting and potentially workplace pension responsibilities. We’ll help establish the payroll records and recurring process before the first pay run is due.
Register as an employer
Where required, we’ll help complete the PAYE employer registration and obtain the references needed to report payroll and make payments to HMRC.
Confirm who will be paid
We’ll collect the necessary director and employee information, starter details, agreed pay, pay frequency and first payment date.
Establish the pay schedule
Agree when information must reach us, when payroll will be processed and when payslips and payment information will be available.
Configure the payroll records
Set up the employer, employees, tax details, pay arrangements and year-to-date information within the payroll system.
Assess workplace pension duties
Identify the relevant automatic-enrolment position, establish the selected pension provider and confirm which pension information and submissions are included.
Complete the first pay run
Calculate the pay, provide the payslips, submit the required information to HMRC and confirm the amounts the business needs to pay.
Forest Finance establishes and operates the payroll records. The employer remains responsible for agreeing employment terms, confirming pay and supplying accurate information about each worker.
How it works
A repeatable process for every payday.
We’ll agree a regular payroll timetable and cut-off date. You tell us about changes in one clear update; we’ll complete the calculations, reporting and payroll documents.
1. Confirm the payroll changes
Before the agreed cut-off, you provide details of new starters, leavers, hours, pay changes, bonuses, deductions, absences and any other information affecting the pay run.
2. Process the payroll
We’ll calculate the gross pay, deductions, employer costs, pension contributions and net amounts using the information provided.
3. Review unusual or missing information
If something is unclear or differs from the normal payroll, we’ll raise the question before finalising the run wherever the timetable allows.
4. Provide the payroll documents
We’ll issue the payslips and provide the agreed payroll summary showing the amounts to be paid to employees, HMRC and the pension provider.
5. Submit the payroll information
We’ll complete the relevant Real Time Information submission to HMRC and send the contribution information to the selected pension provider where included.
6. Keep the records ready
The completed payroll information remains available for the bookkeeping, annual accounts and other connected accounting work.
One agreed cut-off. One clear pay run. Every submission accounted for.
When payroll changes
Keep the payroll records aligned with what is happening in the business.
A normal pay run can change quickly when somebody joins, leaves, takes statutory leave or receives a different payment. Tell us as early as possible so we can update the payroll before the relevant submission is made.
Director payroll
We’ll operate the agreed director salary and apply the appropriate payroll calculation method. Any decision about the level or timing of a director’s pay should be considered alongside the company’s wider accounting and tax position.
New starters
Provide the employee’s starter information, agreed pay and relevant HMRC documentation before their first payroll. We’ll add them to the records and include them in the appropriate submission.
Employees leaving
Tell us the employee’s final working and payment details so we can calculate the final pay, record the leaving date and produce the relevant leaving information.
Pay, hours and bonus changes
Changes to salaries, hourly pay, overtime, bonuses, commissions and deductions must reach us before the agreed payroll cut-off to be included accurately.
Absence and statutory pay
Where an employee may qualify for statutory sick, maternity, paternity, adoption or other statutory pay, we’ll calculate the payroll treatment using the dates and information supplied.
Pension changes
New employees, changes in age or earnings, opt-in and opt-out requests, postponement periods and contribution changes can affect automatic-enrolment processing. We’ll update the payroll and supported pension submissions using the information provided.
Corrections after payroll has been processed
If incorrect or incomplete information is discovered after a pay run, tell us promptly. We’ll review the affected payroll and determine the appropriate correction and reporting process.
Forest Finance processes the payroll consequences of the information you provide. Decisions about employment terms, entitlement disputes and employment law remain matters for the employer and an appropriate HR or legal adviser.
Workplace pensions
Keep automatic enrolment connected to the payroll.
Workplace pension duties continue after the scheme has been established. We’ll process the payroll assessments, calculate contributions and complete submissions to NOW: Pensions or another supported provider as part of the agreed service.
Assess employees through payroll
We’ll use the employee’s age and qualifying earnings to assess their automatic-enrolment category during each pay run and identify when action may be required.
Calculate pension contributions
Where an employee is enrolled, we’ll calculate the employee and employer contributions using the agreed pensionable-pay basis and scheme settings.
Submit contribution information
We’ll send the payroll and contribution information to NOW: Pensions or another supported provider within the agreed process.
Process joining and leaving information
Where an employee opts in, joins or provides valid opt-out information, we’ll update the payroll and apply the relevant contribution treatment using the information supplied.
Monitor changes in eligibility
An employee’s age or earnings can change their automatic-enrolment position. We’ll reassess the payroll information and identify when the processing needs to change.
Complete the declaration of compliance
Once the initial automatic-enrolment duties have been addressed, we can complete the employer’s declaration of compliance using the information provided and confirm when it has been submitted to The Pensions Regulator.
Support re-enrolment and re-declaration
At the relevant three-year point, we can reassess affected employees, update the payroll and supported pension submissions, complete the re-enrolment process and submit the employer’s re-declaration of compliance.
Keep pension and payroll records aligned
The pension submissions, payroll calculations and amounts payable should agree. We’ll identify differences and help resolve rejected or inconsistent contribution information.
Important responsibilities
The employer remains legally responsible for choosing an appropriate pension scheme, making payments to the provider on time, providing required communications to employees and ensuring the information supplied for declarations and payroll is accurate. Forest Finance provides the payroll calculations and agreed administrative submissions; it does not provide regulated pension, investment, HR or employment-law advice.
Payroll calculations, pension submissions and compliance declarations working from the same employee information.
Payroll corrections and catch-up
Resolve payroll problems before they carry into another pay period.
If payroll has not been reported, an employee was paid incorrectly or the records do not agree with HMRC or the pension provider, we’ll establish what happened and agree the appropriate correction process.
Payroll has not been established
If employees or directors have already been paid without a complete payroll setup, we’ll review the dates, payments and available records before determining what registrations and submissions may be required.
Late or missing HMRC submissions
We’ll identify the affected pay periods, reconstruct the necessary payroll information and complete the relevant reporting using the appropriate late-submission details.
Incorrect employee pay or deductions
Where the wrong pay, tax, National Insurance or another deduction was processed, we’ll calculate the correction and explain how it should be reflected in the payroll.
Incorrect starter or leaver information
We’ll review the dates and employee details, update the payroll records where appropriate and determine whether a corrected submission or document is needed.
PAYE records do not agree with HMRC
If the employer’s figures differ from its HMRC account, we’ll compare the payroll submissions and payment information, identify likely differences and help prepare the information needed to resolve them.
Pension submissions or contributions do not agree
We’ll compare the payroll calculations with the supported provider records and help correct rejected files, missing employees or inconsistent contribution information.
Payroll records need reconstructing
Where previous reports, payslips or year-to-date figures are incomplete, we’ll collect the available information and identify what can be rebuilt before taking responsibility for future payroll.
Prevent the issue from repeating
Once the immediate correction is complete, we’ll agree a payroll cut-off, a clear method for reporting changes and a recurring review process.
Penalties, interest or additional liabilities may already apply. We cannot promise that these will be removed, but resolving the records promptly can prevent the position from becoming worse.
Payroll FAQs
Common questions about payroll and workplace pensions.
When does a business need to register as an employer?
A business will normally need to register with HMRC before it begins operating PAYE and reporting payments to employees or directors. We can complete the employer registration and establish the payroll records required for the first pay run.
Does a director need to be included in payroll?
A director receiving a salary through the company will normally need to be included in payroll. We’ll establish the payroll record and calculate the agreed director salary using the appropriate National Insurance method. The level and timing of the salary should also be considered alongside the company’s wider accounting and tax position.
What information do you need before each pay run?
We’ll need confirmation of the people being paid and any changes affecting the period, such as hours, overtime, bonuses, deductions, new starters, leavers, absences or statutory leave. The information must reach us by the agreed payroll cut-off.
When is payroll reported to HMRC?
The Full Payment Submission is normally sent to HMRC on or before the date employees are paid. We’ll agree a processing timetable that gives you time to confirm changes before the submission is completed.
Do you provide payslips?
Yes. We’ll produce a payslip for each employee or director showing the gross pay, deductions and net amount. These will be made available through the agreed secure process.
Can you calculate statutory sick or parental pay?
Yes. We can calculate applicable statutory payments, including statutory sick, maternity, paternity and adoption pay, using the dates and eligibility information provided. The employer remains responsible for supplying accurate absence and employment information.
Can you manage automatic enrolment?
Yes. We can assess employees through payroll, calculate pension contributions and complete submissions to NOW: Pensions or another supported provider. We can also complete the employer’s declaration and re-declaration of compliance using the information provided.
Do you provide HR or employment-law advice?
No. Our service covers payroll administration and connected workplace pension submissions. Employment contracts, recruitment, performance management, disciplinary matters, entitlement disputes and employment-law advice should be handled by an appropriate HR or legal adviser.
Can you take over from another payroll provider?
Yes. We’ll agree an appropriate transfer point and collect the employer details, employee records, year-to-date figures, previous submissions and pension information needed to continue the payroll. We’ll review the opening information before processing the first pay run.
How long must payroll records be kept?
Payroll records must normally be retained for three years from the end of the tax year they relate to. The employer remains responsible for ensuring the required records are retained, including the information used to support pay, deductions, leave and statutory payments.
What if an employee was paid incorrectly?
Tell us as soon as possible. We’ll review the pay run, calculate the necessary correction and determine how it should be reflected in the payroll and reported to HMRC. The correction process depends on what was wrong and when it was identified.
Still unsure what the business needs? Tell us who you pay and how the current payroll works.
Payroll next step
Share who needs paying and what payroll support you need.
Tell us where you need help with director payroll, small-team payroll, PAYE, RTI or payslip routines.
Payroll route
A clearer payroll routine for directors and small teams.
We can review who needs paying, how often and what needs to be handled around payroll dates and submissions.
- Tell us who needs paying and how often.
- Forest Finance reviews the PAYE, RTI and payslip support that fits.
- You receive a clearer route for regular payroll support.
Useful if you need director payroll, employee payroll, payslips, PAYE/RTI submissions or a cleaner monthly routine.
Keep exploring