Some clients use HMRC's free payroll software and one has asked me about joining auto-enrolment ahead of their staging date. I see that BPT has a screen for pension contributions, but does anyone know if there are likely to be enhancements from April 2015 so that payslips can be produced and auto-enrolment properly processed?
Optimistic I know!
Thanks
Tim
Replies (6)
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No way
All the payroll software providers would be up in arms if HMRC offered a full payroll solution with payslips free of charge. HMRC provides BPT only to enable employers to calculate PAYE and file reports under RTI correctly.
Basic PAYE Tools and Auto-Enrolment
The Pensions Regulator is looking at providing a basic contributions calculator which means jumping between sites. Why would you still use BPT when it will not complete any of the compliance required and you can buy good payroll software so cheaply?
Basic is correct.....
...as small employers will still need to record all of their AE activity for 6 years in case TPR come knocking, asking questions. I am sure that the TPR tool will not be doing that for all 200,000 users of the HMRC software. I also wonder what formats the data exports will be in and which pension scheme will be working with the tool???
As you say Steve payroll software starts at such a low level now and incorporates all of these details without fuss and all on the same page.
There are many things that payroll software does not do with regard to AE but assessment is not one of them...in fact its the one bit it can do really well.
HMRC do not provide free payroll software!
HMRC do not provide free payroll software. They do provide tools for the calculation of PAYE items and for RTI filing.
It is extremely unlikely that HMRC would add functionality in relation to AE as it is not a PAYE activity and it would open them to significant compliance risk.
So in answer to the question on Payslips and AE - simple answer - NO.
Basic Tools and AE
I only use the hmrc Basic Tools system and don't have any payroll software, since there are just 3 of us in our office. However, with AE looming will I have to find payroll software which will integrate with a pension provider (I'm still in research mode!). This will increase our outgoings considerably.
HW