Payroll needs to be accurate and on time during every pay period. One incorrect payslip or missed RTI submission can affect your employees first. Digitax is a Colchester-based accountancy practice providing payroll services for UK employers, from single-director companies to teams of 50 or more. We can register your business with HMRC, process payroll according to your preferred schedule and submit the required reports on time.
Payroll Support for UK Employers
Digitax runs your payroll from registration through to every payslip. We calculate PAYE and National Insurance, file your Full Payment Submission with HMRC on or before each payday, and handle your workplace pension contributions in the background. Whether you pay one director or fifty staff, weekly or monthly, we build the payroll run around how your business actually works. If you’re setting up as an employer for the first time, we’ll register you with HMRC and get everything in place before your first payday, not after it.
How Our Payroll Service Works
Moving your payroll to us is straightforward. Here is how it usually works, from your first enquiry to your completed pay run.
Tell us about your business
We start by learning how you pay your team: how many people, how often you run payroll and how you work now. This helps us set things up to suit you.
Provide your payroll information
You send us the details we need, such as hours, salaries, starters, leavers and any changes. We give you a simple list, so nothing gets missed.
We prepare and review the payroll
We calculate the pay and deductions, prepare the payslips and check the figures carefully before anything is finalised.
You receive the payroll documents and next steps
We send you the payslips and reports, explain anything that needs your attention and tell you what happens for the next pay run.
Every payroll is different, so we build our support around your team rather than a fixed package. Below are the two areas clients ask about most. If you also need bookkeeping, VAT or tax support alongside your payroll, we handle that too.
Payroll Services We Offer
Payroll Setup & Registration
New to running payroll? We register you as an employer with HMRC, set up your PAYE scheme, and get your pension provider and auto-enrolment duties in place from your first hire, so nothing has to be fixed retrospectively.
Monthly Payroll Processing & RTI Filing
We calculate pay, deductions and pension contributions each period, issue payslips, and submit your Full Payment Submission to HMRC on time. You’ll always know what’s due to employees, HMRC and your pension provider, with enough notice to plan your cash flow around it.
Why Choose Digitax for Payroll in Colchester?
We keep payroll simple and on time. You get a named contact who knows your team and pay dates, payslips checked before they go out, and straight answers when a new starter, a pay rise, or a pension question comes up. Getting started takes one call: we look at how you currently run payroll, or set you up from scratch if you don’t have anything in place yet, and take the monthly deadline off your plate. We’re based in Colchester and work with employers face to face across Essex, but most of our payroll clients are supported remotely across the UK.
Need reliable payroll support?
Tell us how many people you pay and how often you run payroll. We’ll explain what we can manage and provide a clear quotation.
Payroll Services: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register as an employer?
Yes, if you’re paying anyone, including yourself as a director, £123 a week or more, or providing benefits, or if any employee already has another job. You need to register with HMRC before your first payday, ideally a few weeks ahead so your PAYE reference is ready in time.
How often do I need to run payroll?
Most businesses run payroll weekly or monthly, matching however often staff are actually paid. Whatever you choose, HMRC needs a Full Payment Submission on or before each payday, so the reporting rhythm follows your pay schedule rather than the other way round.
What is RTI and does it affect me?
RTI, or Real Time Information, is how payroll gets reported to HMRC: every time you pay staff, details of pay and deductions go to HMRC on or before payday, rather than once a year. It applies to every UK employer, and it’s what we handle on your behalf each pay run.
What happens if I file payroll late?
If you submit a Full Payment Submission (FPS) after payday without a valid reason, HMRC may issue a warning or charge a late-filing penalty. Repeated late or missing submissions can also affect employees whose income-related benefits depend on accurate payroll information. Digitax helps prepare and submit your payroll reports on or before payday and can support you if a late submission needs to be corrected.
How much does outsourcing payroll cost?
It depends on how many people you pay and how often. A single-director payroll costs far less to run than a team of twenty on a weekly cycle. We’ll give you a fixed price once we know your headcount and pay frequency, so there are no surprises on your invoice.
Can you handle payroll for just one director?
Yes. Plenty of our payroll clients are single-director limited companies paying themselves a small salary alongside dividends. It’s a smaller job than a full staff payroll, but the registration, RTI filing and payslip rules still apply, and we handle all of it.
Do I have to offer a workplace pension?
How does auto-enrolment work?
Eligible staff are enrolled automatically, and both you and your employee contribute a minimum percentage of qualifying earnings, currently 3% from the employer and 5% from the employee, based on earnings between £6,240 and £50,270 a year. We set this up, manage the contributions each pay run, and handle the paperwork if anyone opts out.
What is the National Minimum Wage and how do I make sure I'm paying it?
The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage set the lowest hourly rate you can legally pay, and the rate depends on age: currently £12.71 an hour for staff aged 21 and over, £10.85 for 18 to 20 year-olds, and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices in their first year. We check your rates against current thresholds as part of running your payroll, since they change every April.
Can you handle statutory sick pay and maternity pay?
Yes. Statutory Sick Pay, Statutory Maternity Pay and Statutory Paternity Pay all have their own eligibility rules and rates, and we calculate and process them correctly through your payroll so staff are paid what they’re entitled to and your records match what HMRC expects.
Do you handle payroll for CIS subcontractors?
Yes. Construction Industry Scheme payroll works differently from standard PAYE, with deductions made from subcontractor payments rather than a salary. We run CIS payroll alongside standard payroll if your business needs both.
How do I switch payroll providers to Digitax?
We request your current payroll records and year-to-date figures from your existing provider, so nothing is lost mid-tax-year. Most switches are timed to a natural point, like the start of a new tax month, so your staff never notice the handover.
Helpful Resources
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Running Payroll (GOV.UK Guide)
Official GOV.UK guidance on running payroll as an employer. VIEW GUIDE
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PAYE and National Insurance for Employers (GOV.UK Guide)
Official GOV.UK guidance on operating PAYE and National Insurance. VIEW GUIDE
