{"id":3284,"date":"2024-12-01T01:41:09","date_gmt":"2024-12-01T01:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/?p=3284"},"modified":"2025-12-22T14:10:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T14:10:03","slug":"how-much-does-it-cost-accountants-to-outsource-uk-payroll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/blog\/how-much-does-it-cost-accountants-to-outsource-uk-payroll\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Payroll Outsourcing Costs: Pricing Tips for Accountants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Payroll outsourcing gained immense momentum in the UK accounting sector in the aftermath of the global coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The outsource payroll cost is typically between \u00a32 to \u00a325 per employee per month, but this can vary depending on your company size, pay frequency, and the specific services you need. Smaller companies often pay a higher per-employee rate, while larger companies can get a lower rate. Some providers also offer a per-payslip model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leading outsourcing providers like <a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/\" title=\"\">QX Accounting Services<\/a> also provide volume-based discounts and may charge on a per-FTE basis.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-what-is-the-cost-of-outsourcing-payroll\">What is the Cost of Outsourcing Payroll?<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-1-setup-cost\">1. Setup Cost<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-2-running-payroll-per-payslip-costs\">2. Running Payroll \/ Per Payslip Costs<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-3-auto-enrolment\">3. Auto-Enrolment<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-4-year-end-filing\">4. Year-End Filing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-how-can-you-determine-if-payroll-outsourcing-is-appropriate-for-your-accountancy-practice\">How Can You Determine if Payroll Outsourcing is Appropriate for Your Accountancy Practice?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-profitable-payroll\">Profitable Payroll<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-faqs-49\">FAQs on Payroll Outsourcing Costs<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-1-what-is-payroll-outsourcing-cost-per-employee-in-the-uk-50\">1.What is payroll outsourcing cost per employee in the UK?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-2-how-much-does-payroll-outsourcing-cost-for-small-businesses-in-the-uk-52\">2.How much does payroll outsourcing cost for small businesses in the UK?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-3-what-factors-affect-payroll-outsourcing-cost-in-the-uk-54\">3.What factors affect payroll outsourcing cost in the UK?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-4-what-setup-fees-are-included-in-payroll-outsourcing-cost-56\">4.What setup fees are included in payroll outsourcing cost?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-5-how-much-does-payroll-outsourcing-cost-per-payslip-58\">5.How much does payroll outsourcing cost per payslip?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As more and more accountancy practices in the UK turn to outsourcing their payroll, accountants have one question at the very top of their minds: <strong>How much do UK payroll outsourcing services cost?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a number of firms in the market providing <a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/service\/payroll-outsourcing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">outsourced payroll services for accountants<\/a> and small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> However, most of them do not display fixed pricing on their website as it is customised for each client based on their specific requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s look at the factors that determine and affect the costs of payroll outsourcing services in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"blogin-graphics highlightbox7\" id=\"bgblock_code\" style=\"\">\n    <div class=\"blogin-graphics-in\"><\/p>\n<h2>Types of Payroll Outsourcing Models<\/h2>\n<p>There are several types of payroll outsourcing models that outsourcing firms commonly offer. The pricing for payroll varies depending on the type of client payroll you are outsourcing. Generally, there are two pricing models:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Same Salary Model<\/h3>\n<p>This is appropriate for simple payroll with the same salary details\/amount every month.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Variable Salary Model<\/h3>\n<p>This is designed for more complex payroll requirements, such as where your client has different types of employees (part-time\/full-time), changing pay frequency (for example, weekly\/fortnightly), or variable pay amounts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Besides, some outsourcing providers also charge based on an FTE or per-payslip requirement.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>3. FTE Model<\/h3>\n<p>You get a dedicated full-time employee working exclusively on your payroll needs. This model is particularly suitable for a long-term association.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Per-Payslip Model<\/h3>\n<p>In this model, the outsourcing company charges you for each payslip that they process. This model qualifies for a volume-based discount and is suitable for a temporary\/short-term requirement.<\/p>\n<p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"tablepress-9-name\" class=\"tablepress-table-name tablepress-table-name-id-9\">Payroll Outsourcing Models: A Comparison<\/h2>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-9\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-9\" aria-labelledby=\"tablepress-9-name\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Same Salary Model<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Variable Salary Model<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">FTE Model<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Per-Payslip Model<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Simple payroll processing with the same salary details\/amount every month<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Complex payroll processing, such as changing payroll frequency<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Dedicated full-time expert working on your payroll needs<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Pricing based on number of payslips processed. Includes volume-based discounts.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you decide to go for <a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-payroll-outsourcing-for-accounting-firms\" title=\"\">payroll services outsourcing<\/a> and begin looking for a service provider, understand your client\u2019s payroll requirements thoroughly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> If you have been handling their payroll for some time now, you must already know their needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have landed a new client or recently added payroll as an add-on service to your portfolio, speak to your client to understand their exact requirements in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the outsourced payroll cost depends on the above engagement models, the exact pricing can be determined only based on your specific needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-what-is-the-cost-of-outsourcing-payroll\">What is the Cost of Outsourcing Payroll?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/usa\/blog\/how-much-does-payroll-outsourcing-cost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"cost of outsourcing payroll\">cost of outsourcing payroll<\/a> depends on several crucial factors. To make it easy for you, we have listed individual elements below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-1-setup-cost\">1. Setup Cost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fee for setting up payroll with a supplier will vary according to your accounting firm&#8217;s size and requirements. For a new company set-up, typical charges start at \u00a310.00 per company as a one-off cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-2-running-payroll-per-payslip-costs\">2. Running Payroll \/ Per Payslip Costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another important factor determining the final payroll outsourcing prices is the per-payslip cost. This cost varies depending on the number of payslips your accounting firm processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Typically, you could expect to pay between \u00a34 to \u00a36 per payslip. Many outsourcing companies generally offer a discount when there are more payslips to process each month.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/contact\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"234\" src=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/5blog.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/5blog.webp 800w, https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/5blog-300x88.webp 300w, https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/5blog-768x225.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-3-auto-enrolment\">3. Auto-Enrolment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several accountants providing payroll services to clients also offer Auto-Enrolment services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> If you are not one of them, this is an excellent opportunity to start offering it with minimal overhead investment. Outsourcing Auto-Enrolment costs are made up of three components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Initial review stage<\/strong> \u2013 This generally&nbsp;ranges&nbsp;from&nbsp;\u00a315 to \u00a325 per client<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Registration stage<\/strong> \u2013 You could expect this to range from \u00a325 to \u00a335 per client up to a maximum of 10 employees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compliance<\/strong> \u2013 On an average, you could be paying \u00a30.75 per pay run per employee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-4-year-end-filing\">4. Year-End Filing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An important component of UK payroll is year-end filing. HMRC has made the year-end filings very simple for each time payroll is processed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the primary concern is to ensure you submit your final FPS and\/or EPS on time. You could expect to pay \u00a320.00 per EYU (\u00a310.00 for client set-up and \u00a310.00 for processing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-how-can-you-determine-if-payroll-outsourcing-is-appropriate-for-your-accountancy-practice\">How Can You Determine if Payroll Outsourcing is Appropriate for Your Accountancy Practice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It may not always be easy to determine whether to outsource your payroll needs. But here are some statistics to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The payroll outsourcing market size has grown strongly in recent years. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com\/report\/payroll-outsourcing-global-market-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Research<\/a> suggests it will grow from <b>$11.17 billion in 2023&nbsp;<\/b>to <b>$16.12 billion in 2028&nbsp;<\/b>at a CAGR of <strong>7.6%<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-7108 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Payroll-Outsourcing-Market.png\" alt=\"Payroll Outsourcing Market\" class=\"wp-image-7108\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: thebusinessresearchcompany.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The below video can help you assess your firm&#8217;s outsourcing readiness effectively.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Outsourcing Series - Video 1: When Should You Outsource?\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uJzLXo_c4RU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/\" title=\"\">QXAS<\/a> is a leading payroll outsourcing provider in the UK with 20+ years of industry experience and a dedicated team of trained payroll specialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help accountants evaluate our payroll services risk-free, we offer a <a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/free-trial-offer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free trial<\/a> and complete data protection guarantee. We usually provide the following reports: payslips, FPS, P30, and P32.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To learn more about the free trial or explore our services in further detail, please&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/contact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get in touch<\/a> with us&nbsp;and one of our team members will be happy to call you back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-profitable-payroll\">Profitable Payroll<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To make the maximum profits from payroll, moving to an outsourced model is essential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is a straightforward way to turn a low-margin service into something that churns a profit while also minimising the time you spend on it and the investment you need in terms of software and hiring specialist staff. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/guide\/making-payroll-profitable\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"234\" src=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/4blog.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/4blog.webp 800w, https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/4blog-300x88.webp 300w, https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/12\/4blog-768x225.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-faqs-49\">FAQs on Payroll Outsourcing Costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-1-what-is-payroll-outsourcing-cost-per-employee-in-the-uk-50\">1.What is payroll outsourcing cost per employee in the UK?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typical outsourcing of payroll in the UK costs about \u00a34\u2013\u00a310 per employee per month for standard services. For fully managed, comprehensive services it can go up to \u00a312\u2013\u00a325 per employee\/month, depending on complexity. Some companies like QXAS also provide FTE\/PTE payroll services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-2-how-much-does-payroll-outsourcing-cost-for-small-businesses-in-the-uk-52\">2.How much does payroll outsourcing cost for small businesses in the UK?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a small UK business, outsourcing payroll typically costs around \u00a34\u2013\u00a312 per employee per month, plus any one-off setup fees.<br>As a rough monthly benchmark: many small firms pay about \u00a350\u2013\u00a3200 flat per month for outsourced payroll services, depending on employee count and service scope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-3-what-factors-affect-payroll-outsourcing-cost-in-the-uk-54\">3.What factors affect payroll outsourcing cost in the UK?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cost depends on factors like the number of employees, pay frequency, and level of service required. Extras like pension management, year-end reporting, and compliance support can also increase the price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-4-what-setup-fees-are-included-in-payroll-outsourcing-cost-56\">4.What setup fees are included in payroll outsourcing cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Setup fees usually cover onboarding, data migration, and system configuration. Some providers also charge a small per-employee setup fee or extra for integrations like BACS payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aioseo-5-how-much-does-payroll-outsourcing-cost-per-payslip-58\">5.How much does payroll outsourcing cost per payslip?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-payroll-outsourcing-for-accounting-firms\" title=\"\">Outsourcing payroll<\/a> in the UK typically costs around \u00a34\u2013\u00a312 per payslip, depending on service level and complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Payroll outsourcing gained immense momentum in the UK accounting sector in the aftermath of the global coronavirus pandemic. The outsource payroll cost is typically between \u00a32 to \u00a325 per employee per month, but this can vary depending on your company size, pay frequency, and the specific services you need. Smaller companies often pay a higher [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":8815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[87,4,33,29],"class_list":["post-3284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-payroll","tag-costs","tag-outsourcing","tag-payroll","tag-payroll-outsourcing"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qxaccounting.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}