Top 7 Payroll Companies in the UK and London

According to our research, Moorepay is the best payroll company in the UK for outsourced payroll. It offers businesses access to UK-based consultants with a wealth of experience, keeping them up to date with the UK payroll legislation and data laws. It also offers software that comes with customised reporting, offering beneficial expertise and insights.

When outsourcing payroll, businesses should look for companies that can provide them with expert advice, submit timely and accurate reports to HMRC, and provide them with easy-to-use cloud-based payroll software that allows for easy access to payroll data. And of course, payroll companies must be HMRC approved, keep businesses compliant, and keep sensitive employee data safe.

There are quite a few other payroll companies that fit the bill besides Moorepay, and we’ve listed them all here for you:

Top 7 UK Payroll Companies: Comparison

Each of our top-ranked payroll companies offers fully managed outsourced payroll services. For a quick overview of what other services each can provide, see the table below:

1. Moorepay: Best Overall Payroll Company in the UK

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully-managed payroll, DIY payroll software, HR services, and software
• Contracts available: Bespoke
• UK office location: Greater Manchester
• CIPP PAS-accredited: Yes
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is Moorepay the best overall?

Moorepay earns the top spot in our ranking largely due to the high level of expertise you’ll get access to.

The company lets you talk to UK-based payroll specialists who can answer your queries and give you guidance on HR, payroll, and tax matters. This helpful feature offers incredible support to companies, especially small businesses and those without an accounting team.

We really like the holiday calculators you can use free of charge on Moorepay’s website. Within a matter of seconds, the calculators work out the number of holidays your part-time or zero-hour contract workers are entitled to. This is a super handy tool for businesses that might struggle to make sense of legislation and want to ensure employees are receiving their legally entitled holiday.

Moorepay also offers businesses an employee self-service mobile app, allowing them to view and manage payroll from anywhere. This is an increasingly popular product, also offered by Frontier and ADP.

Moorepay’s onboarding process particularly impressed us. If you’re switching payroll companies and moving over to Moorepay, it will handle any legislative or policy changes that your business might need.

Like competitor MHR, Moorepay also offers a native HR platform that fully integrates with its payroll system, but Moorepay’s HR interface is easier to grasp than MHR’s. This is why it features highly in our ranking of the best payroll solutions for small businesses.

How could Moorepay improve?

On the flip side, for all its ease of onboarding, Moorepay doesn’t offer live training sessions, unlike competitor ADP. This is a crucial feature if you’d like your company to get to grips with the system fast. What Moorepay offers instead are webinars and written guides.

Moorepay also doesn’t offer international payroll services, so if your business has employees abroad, we recommend Frontier instead, our top pick for managing payroll internationally.

What type of business is Moorepay best for?

Moorepay’s payroll services are best growing small businesses looking to outsource both payroll and HR, since Moorepay does both. It’s also got a lot of educational resources on hand, for businesses that want help understanding payroll tax-commitments.

However, since Moorepay doesn’t provide services for paying employees outside of the UK, it’s not a good option for businesses that have gone, or are looking to go, international. For that, Frontier is your go-to.

2. Payescape: Best for Short Contracts

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully managed payroll, payroll software, HR services, and software
• Contracts available: Rolling monthly
• UK office location: Ballymoney (NI), and Somerset (ENG)
• CIPP PAS-accredited: Yes
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is Payescape the best for short contracts?

Payescape’s main draw is that it offers rolling monthly contracts for its payroll services, meaning businesses aren’t locked into its services with a long-term contract. This is particularly useful for small or relatively new businesses that experience varying levels of profit and require flexibility.

On top of this, Payescape provides excellent payroll services. All of Payescape’s client services teams are CIPP qualified, and it has ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certifications, so you can be sure your information is in safe hands.

It also gives customers access to payroll software for easy access to data, allowing you to stay in control and make changes when you need to. Payecape’s payroll software also integrates with its native HR and Time Management software, as well as a host of third-party solutions, such as accounting software Xero. Its Time Management software in particular makes it a good option for businesses with shift-based employees.

Payescape’s offices are located in Ballymoney (NI), and Somerset (ENG), making it a little trickier for businesses located in the north of England or Scotland to visit them. Luckily, Payescape makes itself very available for training and support. It has a three-ring phone answer policy, offers a customised onboarding training programme, and has a knowledge center with video tutorials and how-to guides.

How could Payescape improve?

All that being said, unlike Frontier, Payescape doesn’t manage payroll for international employees. Similarly, its reporting features aren’t as advanced as MHR’s, which allows for greater customisation and detail retrieval from tasks like cost analysis. Payescape, for example, doesn’t provide payroll change reports.

Lastly, although Payescape does provide an online portal for employee self-service, it doesn’t yet offer a mobile app that allows employees to view and manage payroll on the go. Mobile payroll apps are becoming an increasingly popular product for businesses, offered by Moorepay and Frontier.

What type of business is Payescape best for?

Payscape’s rolling monthly contracts and robust support system make it a great option for small businesses that don’t want to be tied down but need a lot of payroll guidance.

3. MHR: Best for Reporting

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully managed payroll,  DIY payroll software, HR software
• Contracts available: Bespoke
• UK office locations: Nottingham, Glasgow, Cardiff
• CIPP PAS-accredited: Yes
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is MHR the best for reporting?

MHR’s software system possesses significant data-crunching capabilities, and since that’s what the company will be using to process your payroll, you’ll get access to detailed reports. When we used its native iTrent program, we were able to run highly detailed tasks, from pinpointing costs to analysing employee performance.

Since MHR also specialises in financial planning and management, it offers particularly good tools for salary modelling, allowing you to view the financial impact of salary changes for individuals.

Like Moorepay, MHR also comes with an integrated HR platform, allowing you to save money on this front. It also has an incredibly high standard when it comes to data compliance, attested by its ISO:27001 accreditation.

For accounting teams that need to present their performance data to key stakeholders, MHR’s powerful visualisation tools allow them to present data in compelling graphs.

How could MHR improve?

However, like Frontier, MHR doesn’t have a London location, but it does have three UK-based offices: one in Nottingham, one in Cardiff, and another in Glasgow. If these locations are far from you, MHR is available via phone and chatbot, but not via email – a contact channel that ADP also lacks.

One big downside to MHR is that it doesn’t offer live training sessions to ease your onboarding process, unlike OneAdvanced and Payescape. This could pose an issue if you need your team to operate this software to its full potential. MHR also doesn’t offer its customers advice on how to stay compliant with payroll laws, something Moorepay, Payescape, and ADP all do. This could be a real issue if you’re not well-versed in the latest legislation.

What type of business is MHR best for?

MHR is best poised to help business owners and C-suite executives who really want to make the most out of the employee data at their disposal.

We wouldn’t recommend it to smaller businesses that need a support system, since MHR doesn’t provide live training, nor does it offer advice on compliance. For more support, Moorepay or OneAdvanced are great options.

You’re nearly halfway through our list of the seven best payroll service providers in the UK. Time to start comparing quotes?

Simply hit one of the buttons below to start our quick questionnaire. It only takes 30 seconds to complete and, by telling us more about your business’ specific requirements, you’ll receive the best personalised managed payroll services rates and recommendations.

4. Frontier: Best for International Businesses

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully and part-managed payroll, DIY payroll software, HR software
• Contracts available: Bespoke
• UK office locations: Surrey, Warrington, Nottingham, Gloucester
• CIPP PAS-accredited: Yes
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is Frontier the best for international businesses?

Frontier’s ability to pay international employees makes it ideal to help businesses that operate in multiple countries organise their payroll. This isn’t a service offered by Moorepay or Payescape.

It has four UK locations: its headquarters are in Lightwater, there is a helpdesk in Warrington, plus offices in Nottingham and Gloucester. These headquarters span quite a bit of England, making Frontier easily reachable to a lot of English businesses.

Like Moorepay, Frontier has a mobile app, allowing employees and managers to easily check and edit their payroll data on the go. Timesheets can be submitted on the go through the app, and payslips can be sent.

Similar to MHR, Frontier comes with an integrated HR platform, which is a money-saving feature considering you won’t have to purchase a separate system to handle these tasks.

How could Frontier improve?

However, Frontier’s lack of an open API is its Achilles’ heel, because it prevents you from integrating it with other platforms. Among the providers we tested, only OneAdvanced has a similar limitation. Frontier also doesn’t come with ready-made accounting software integrations, which means tracking labour expenses is difficult with Frontier. Overall, if third-party integrations are key to your business, ADP is a better choice.

Elsewhere, Frontier doesn’t provide guidance on how to stay compliant with business, which isn’t great to those in need of this extra information.

What type of business is Frontier best for?

Frontier is best for businesses that have employees located outside of the UK, whom they need to process payroll for. Its employee mobile also makes it easy for remote employees to stay up to date with their payroll data and access payslips.

However, Frontier’s lack of open API and ready-made integrations makes it a no-go for businesses looking to integrate their payroll with other software.

5. OneAdvanced: Best for Training

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully managed payroll, DIY payroll software, HR software
• Contracts available: Bespoke
• UK office locations: Birmingham, Ashford, Mansfield, Newcastle, Willerby, York
• CIPP PAS-accredited: Yes
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is OneAdvanced the best for training?

OneAdvanced offers comprehensive training sessions, great for professionals keen on learning the ins and outs of the system quickly. Businesses can access training in a variety of formats, including live training sessions, video tutorials, and written guides, allowing users to pick up this knowledge at their own pace.

OneAdvanced is also CIPP accredited, which means it can offer expert advice on payroll compliance, which can be extremely valuable for those who are less experienced in payroll management. Plus, it offers educational information to help businesses understand taxes better.

If your business needs in-person support with your payroll, OneAdvanced has the highest number of UK offices among the companies we analysed. It has six offices spread across England, increasing the chances that one is near your business.

You can tailor the software to the specific needs of your business. For example, Advance can manage employees with complex salaries and bonuses, and it allows you to set up multiple different payroll interfaces.

How could OneAdvanced improve?

OneAdvanced doesn’t come with a mobile app, which is offered by Moorepay, and it also lacks an open API, which could prove to be problematic if your company hopes to integrate software you’re already using.

OneAdvanced does, however, pack a native suite of programs that’s likely to cover your needs when it comes to HR and accounting, but the lack of integrations means you’ll be forced to migrate your data from your current platforms to these new ones, which can be time-consuming.

What type of business is OneAdvanced best for?

OneAdvanced is a good option for small businesses that need a robust support system for payroll, thanks to its comprehensive training modules and guidance offerings that cover compliance laws and taxes.

However, its lack of open API means that, like Frontier, it’s not a good option for businesses looking to integrate payroll with other software. For an integration-friendly payroll service provider, try TopSource.

6. ADP: Best for Security

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully managed payroll, DIY payroll software, HR services, and software
• Contracts available: Bespoke
• UK office locations: Staines-upon-Thames, Manchester
• CIPP PAS-accredited: No
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is ADP the best for security?

ADP’s ISO 27001 certification attests to its efficient data encryption, and it hasn’t suffered any data breaches in the last two years.

The provider is flexible and you can choose the add-on features and services your business needs. It also offers guidance around payroll issues, services, legislation, and more. It also offers HR services, making it a good choice for businesses that want to consolidate both services with one provider.

We particularly like that ADP’s website provides recommendations for its various payroll services and software based on employee numbers. It’s one of the few payroll providers to do this, and it makes it easy for businesses to determine whether ADP is the right solution for them before going through the hassle of requesting a quote.

Like MHR, ADP also offers a mobile app. Conveniently, it can be used as a clock-in system, which helps employees with rotating shift patterns to ensure their hours are being recorded correctly, something OneAdvanced, Moorepay, and TopSource don’t offer.

How could ADP improve?

Like all providers on this page, ADP’s pricing isn’t transparent, which can be a problem if you run a small business and need to find out whether ADP fits your budget. For the most part, this is standard practice in this industry, but some competitors (such as Iris Staffology) do advertise their prices and are worth considering.

In terms of locations, ADP maintains two in the UK, both of which are on the outskirts of major cities: its headquarters is at Staines-upon-Thames (27km from London) and its northern office is in Cheadle (13km from Manchester).

What type of business is ADP best for?

ADP is a great option for growing businesses looking to get their HR and payroll services from one provider, since it offers a comprehensive suite of people management services. It’s a particularly good choice for businesses concerned about data security, since it has robust encryption and data protection tools in place.

It’s not a good option for businesses on a budget, however, since, even though ADP doesn’t share its cost publicly, user testimony tells us its services are on the expensive side. For an affordable option with short contract lengths, check out Payescape.

For more, see our review of ADP costs.

7. TopSource: Best for Native Integrations

Quick facts:

• Services available: Fully managed payroll, HR services and software, accounting services and software
• Contracts available: Bespoke
• UK office location: Birmingham
• CIPP PAS-accredited: Yes
• HMRC-approved: Yes

Why is TopSource the best for native integrations?

TopSource’s native suite is quite comprehensive, packing HR, recruitment, and employee benefits platforms and accounting software. The company also offers an open API, allowing businesses with an IT team to integrate their native software with their payroll. It also has ready-made integrations for accounting software, such as Sage, Xero, and QuickBooks.

The only thing absent from TopSource’s native suite is employee development software – something ADP does offer.

TopSource provides worldwide services, but it can tackle UK-specific payroll procedures and its office is in Birmingham. And, since TopSource is a global company, it goes without saying that it can process payroll for international employees, unlike Moorepay, Payescape, and OneAdvanced.

You can contact TopSource via phone and email if Birmingham is too far from your venture, giving you direct access to CIPP-accredited experts for assistance.

The company also has ISO 27001 certification (like Moorepay) and suffered no data breaches in the last two years (unlike OneAdvanced).

How could TopSource improve?

On the downside, TopSource doesn’t allow for custom report building, which makes its reporting less flexible and customisable than MHR’s.

Also, as with most providers we looked at, its pricing is bespoke, making it difficult to gauge whether this is the right provider for you. If you own a small business and are in a hurry to choose your next payroll provider, Iris Staffology and Payescape may be better choices, since the former advertises its prices, and the latter offers monthly contracts.

What type of business is TopSource good for?

TopSource is a good choice for businesses looking to access a variety of services and software from the same provider, from payroll to employee benefits management. As such, we’d recommend it to businesses with a fair number of employees, as they’ll benefit the most from these offerings.

Payroll As a Service vs Payroll Software: What’s the Difference?

Using a payroll service provider means you’re outsourcing your payroll to a third-party company, which can be responsible for part of your payroll (a part-managed service) or all of your payroll (a fully managed service). Typically, whether you’re using a partly-managed or fully-managed service, you’ll still be given access to some type of payroll software, so you can keep an eye on the process and stay up to date.

The payroll companies we reviewed on this page all offer payroll services, which means they manage payroll for you.

Using payroll software alone, on the other hand, means you manage your payroll for your business yourself. It’s an in-house solution, typically in the form of a simple software tool that automates processes like tax deductions and HMRC reporting.

The benefit of using software instead a service is that it gives you more control over your payroll, and, importantly, outsourcing payroll costs more than paying for software. However, for companies with a large number of employees the benefits of outsourcing payroll outweigh the extra cost. As a business grows in employees, payroll takes more time, and with so many heads to juggle, the risk for error is greater, so outsourcing payroll to professionals becomes a necessity.

If you’re a smaller company interested in managing payroll in-house with software, you can still look to the companies on this page, since many provide payroll software as well as payroll services, and are featured in our list of the top cloud-based payroll software.

We also strongly recommend looking into Rippling if you’re interested in payroll software. Starting at £7 per user, per month, its a great option if you’re looking for customisable features, bespoke reporting, and compliance assistance.

How Long Does it Take to Outsource Payroll or Switch Providers?

Whether you’re outsourcing payroll for the first time or changing payroll providers, in general, it takes a few weeks to a month to set up a new outsourced payroll service.

How long it takes exactly depends on how much data you need to migrate from your existing payroll platform to theirs, and whether the payroll service provider is setting up any customisations for you.

You can find out more about switching payroll providers in our guide.

Important Upcoming Payroll Dates

The new 2025/2026 tax year has just begun, so here are the important payroll deadlines that your business needs to be aware of:

New 2025 Payroll Legislation Changes

The Labour government has put in place new legislation which affects payroll and has just come into effect in the new 2025/2026 tax year. Here’s what you need to know:

Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase

There are three major changes to NICs for businesses. From April 2025, the NIC rate for employers rises from 13.8% to 15%, meaning employers must pay more in contributions.

There is also a change to ranges. The secondary threshold has dropped from £9,100 to £5,000. This means employers have to start paying NCIs on earnings starting at £5,000.

However, there’s also some positive news. Before the 2025/2026 tax year, businesses with an NIC bill of £100,000 or less were able to take £5,000 off their employer NIC bill, thanks to the Employment Allowance. However, from April 2025, this has increased from £5,000 to £10,500, and is available to more businesses since the government has removed the £100,000 limit.

National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) increase

From April 2025, the NMW for employees aged between 18 and 20 years increases from £8.60 an hour to £10 an hour. For employees aged between 16 and 17 years, the NMW increases from £6.40 an hour to £7.55 an hour.

The separate rate that exists for eligible apprentices under 19 years old has also increased from £6.40 up to £7.55 an hour.

The NLW (applicable to employees 21 and over) increased from £11.44 an hour to £12.21 an hour.

If you currently have employees on the NMW or NLW, you must make sure you have increased their salaries to reflect the changes from April 2025. Not doing so breaks employer law and can result in fines of up to £20,000 for each affected employee.

Our Methodology: How Did We Find the Best Payroll Services?