Running payroll for a small UK team means wrestling with HMRC deadlines, National Insurance contributions, and the constant threat of a costly RTI mistake. Employment Hero Payroll promises to take that stress away — an HMRC-recognised cloud platform that automates the filings, checks the compliance boxes, and keeps a running log for audits.
Platform Type: All-In-One HR, Payroll & Hiring · Key Tech: AI workflows · Compliance: HMRC-Recognised · Target Businesses: SMBs · Core Functions: Hiring, Onboarding, Payroll
Quick snapshot
- HMRC-recognised and RTI-compliant platform (Employment Hero product page)
- Auto-submits RTI after every pay run (Employment Hero product page)
- Triple ISO certification: 27001, 27017, 27018 (Employment Hero free tier page)
- Specific direct-contact phone number
- App download links outside the platform site
- Independent reviews beyond Capterra
- HMRC-recognised payroll available ongoing since UK launch (Employment Hero product page)
- Free payroll tier introduced pre-2026 (Employment Hero free tier page)
- Capterra reviews updated for 2026 (Capterra review platform)
- Platform continues expanding UK SMB features (Employment Hero RTI guide)
- RTI compliance requirements standard since 2013 (Employment Hero RTI guide)
- Verify current contact and download options at employmenthero.com/uk (Employment Hero RTI guide)
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Website | https://employmenthero.com/uk |
| Focus Areas | Payroll, HR, Hiring |
| Recognition | HMRC |
| Deployment | Cloud-based |
| Free Tier Staff Limit | Unlimited |
| Late FPS Penalty | £100 per month |
| Certifications | 27001, 27017, 27018 |
| Payroll Audit Time | 2-3 hours |
| RTI Types Automated | FPS, EPS, P11, P11D, P32, P60 |
What is Employment Hero Payroll?
Employment Hero Payroll is a cloud-based all-in-one HR and payroll platform built for UK small and medium-sized businesses. The software is HMRC-recognised and RTI-compliant, meaning it handles PAYE, National Insurance deductions, and statutory payments — including SSP, SMP, pensions, and Attachment of Earnings Orders — directly through the platform (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK).
Core features
The platform automates Full Payment Submission (FPS), Employer Payment Summary (EPS), P11, P11D, P32, and P60 submissions to HMRC after each pay run (Employment Hero Payroll Compliance Software). National Minimum Wage validation runs on every payroll cycle, flagging underpaid employees before you file (Employment Hero Payroll Audit Guide). The built-in audit trail logs every action automatically, so a full payroll audit takes 2-3 hours for most SMEs rather than days of manual digging (Employment Hero Payroll Audit Guide).
Late FPS submissions incur a £100 monthly penalty for businesses with up to 9 employees — and that’s before any additional HMRC fines stack on top. Automation is not a convenience feature here; it is the difference between paying a monthly fine and not.
HR integration
Rather than a standalone payroll tool, Employment Hero ties hiring, onboarding, and payroll into one system. Employee self-service lets staff access payslips and documents through the app or their account portal, reducing HR admin queries (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK). Data migration from existing payroll providers is supported, which matters for businesses switching mid-year and needing to preserve historical records (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK).
The implication: Employment Hero targets businesses that want to replace multiple fragmented tools with one connected system, not companies needing payroll-only software.
How do I login to Employment Hero Payroll?
Logging into Employment Hero follows the same first steps whether you access HR or Payroll — the portal is unified, but you select your product stream once inside. Here is the official process from the platform’s help centre (Employment Hero Help Centre Login FAQ):
- Go to employmenthero.com and click the Login button in the top navigation.
- Choose HR Login or Payroll Login depending on your role and access rights.
- Enter your registered email address and password.
- Click Sign In — you will land in the relevant dashboard.
HMRC reporting is managed under Reports > Pay reports in the dashboard, and the HMRC Settings screen is where you configure your PAYE reference, Accounts Office reference, and Employer PAYE reference before running your first pay run.
Troubleshooting access
Forgot your password? Use the password-reset link on the login page to receive a recovery email at your registered address. If login problems persist, the best path forward is contacting Employment Hero support directly through the official platform — the Help Centre at help.employmenthero.com contains step-by-step guides for specific access issues (Employment Hero Help Centre Login FAQ).
What is the Employment Hero Payroll contact number?
Direct contact details for Employment Hero are available through the platform’s official website. Businesses can reach support via the contact options listed at employmenthero.com/uk — these typically include email, an in-app messaging system, and online support ticket submission (Employment Hero).
For specific support requests — whether it is a technical issue, account access, or compliance question — visiting the Help Centre at help.employmenthero.com gives direct access to guides covering HMRC reporting management, RTI settings configuration, and common setup tasks (Employment Hero Help Centre HMRC Reporting).
Support channels
- Online support tickets at employmenthero.com/uk
- Help Centre knowledge base at help.employmenthero.com
- In-app messaging for active account holders
Contact options
For businesses seeking personalised onboarding or a product walkthrough, Employment Hero offers demo booking through the platform website. This is particularly useful for SMEs evaluating whether the platform’s features — from auto-enrolment management to AI-powered HR workflows — match their payroll and compliance needs.
How do I sign up for Employment Hero Payroll?
New businesses can create an Employment Hero account and access the platform directly through employmenthero.com/uk. The signup process involves providing basic company information, verifying your email, and completing initial HMRC settings configuration before running your first pay run (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK).
Signup process
- Visit employmenthero.com/uk and locate the Sign Up or Get Started option.
- Enter your business name, industry, and number of employees.
- Create an admin account with your work email and a secure password.
- Check your email for a verification link and confirm your account.
- Configure your HMRC settings — PAYE reference, Accounts Office reference, and Employer PAYE reference.
- Add your employee roster or import data from your previous provider.
- Run your first pay run to confirm everything is working correctly.
Demo booking
For businesses that want to see the platform in action before committing, Employment Hero offers demo sessions through the official website. Demos typically cover how to set up payroll, configure RTI settings, generate audit reports, and use the AI-driven HR features for hiring and onboarding (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK).
The pattern: SMB-focused onboarding is built into the signup flow, and data migration support means businesses switching from Xero, Sage, or manual spreadsheets can import historical records without losing continuity.
Employment Hero Payroll app and reviews?
Employment Hero provides a mobile app allowing employees to access payslips, request leave, update personal details, and view company policies. Employee self-service through the app reduces the volume of routine HR queries directed at payroll and HR administrators (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK). App availability and specific download links should be confirmed directly through the platform or your app store, as the official site focuses on feature descriptions rather than direct download instructions.
App availability
The platform’s mobile capabilities support the broader all-in-one strategy — employees handling their own onboarding documents, timesheets, and payslip downloads means less manual processing for your HR team. Employer access for running payroll, reviewing reports, and managing compliance runs through the web dashboard, which is optimised for both desktop and tablet use.
User feedback
User reviews on Capterra consistently praise the platform for consolidating what would otherwise be multiple separate tools — one reviewer noted the system makes managing HR tasks from payroll to employee records “much more efficient” (Capterra Employment Hero Reviews). The free tier receives positive mention for covering the core payroll and compliance functions that SMBs actually need daily. Where negative reviews cluster, the common thread is onboarding complexity and the learning curve for businesses new to cloud HR platforms.
What this means: The platform suits businesses willing to invest time in initial setup. If your team expects out-of-the-box simplicity on day one, the experience may frustrate.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| HMRC Recognition | Recognised and RTI-compliant (ongoing) |
| RTI Submissions | FPS, EPS, P11, P11D, P32, P60 |
| Statutory Payments | SSP, SMP, pensions, Attachment of Earnings Orders |
| Audit Trail | Automatic logging of every action |
| NMW Validation | Every payroll cycle |
| Auto-enrolment | Continuous monitoring, immediate RTI confirmation |
| ISO Certifications | 27001, 27017, 27018 |
| Encryption | Enterprise-grade |
| Access Controls | Role-based access |
| Rate Updates | Automatic for NMW and NI contribution changes |
The compliance table shows the breadth of automation built into the platform — every RTI submission type is covered, and statutory payment handling removes the need for separate calculations.
Upsides
- Fully HMRC-recognised with RTI automation — no manual FPS/EPS submissions
- Free tier available for unlimited staff, covering core payroll and compliance
- Triple ISO certification provides enterprise-grade security credentials
- Built-in audit trail reduces audit prep time to 2-3 hours for SMEs
- All-in-one platform combines hiring, onboarding, and payroll
- Automatic NMW and NI rate updates — no manual spreadsheet maintenance
Downsides
- Specific direct-contact phone number not published on public-facing pages
- App download links require navigation through the platform rather than direct URLs
- Independent reviews beyond Capterra are limited
- Onboarding requires configuration time and HMRC settings setup before first pay run
- Payroll bureaus are not formally regulated by HMRC — users rely on the software’s own compliance rather than external audit guarantees
How does Employment Hero Payroll simplify compliance?
Employment Hero Payroll removes the manual burden of RTI submissions by automating FPS and EPS filings directly to HMRC after each pay run. The software handles statutory payments — SSP, SMP, pension contributions, and Attachment of Earnings Orders — without requiring separate calculations or third-party integrations (Employment Hero Payroll Software UK).
The platform’s audit trail is built in from the start. Every action — employee additions, pay adjustments, leave entries, filing submissions — is logged automatically. The payroll audit checklist covers employee classification, pay rates, timekeeping, tax compliance, and security, giving compliance teams a structured starting point rather than a blank spreadsheet (Employment Hero Payroll Compliance Checklist).
Real-time compliance checks pull tax code updates directly from HMRC, flagging discrepancies before they become RTI errors. NMW validation runs on every payroll, catching underpayment before it reaches HMRC records. Auto-enrolment is monitored continuously, with RTI submissions confirmed immediately (Employment Hero Payroll Audit Guide).
The implication: the platform addresses the highest-risk manual processes in UK payroll — late submissions, calculation errors, and audit preparation — by embedding compliance checks directly into each payroll cycle.
What are the key steps for running payroll?
Using Employment Hero for payroll involves a defined workflow from initial setup through to RTI submission. Here is the process based on the platform’s documentation (Employment Hero Help Centre HMRC Reporting):
- Configure HMRC Settings with your PAYE reference, Accounts Office reference, and Employer PAYE reference.
- Add or import your employee roster, including contracts, tax codes, and National Insurance numbers.
- Run the first pay run, reviewing the system-generated FPS and EPS previews before submission.
- Confirm RTI submission — the software sends directly to HMRC after you approve the pay run.
- Review the audit trail in Reports > Pay reports to verify all actions are logged correctly.
- Run subsequent payrolls on your schedule — the system handles FPS and EPS automatically each cycle.
Businesses outsourcing payroll report saving 120 hours a year on administrative tasks. Employment Hero’s automation targets the same time sink — RTI submissions, compliance checks, and audit preparation — without requiring a dedicated payroll bureau.
Say goodbye to payroll headaches. Our cloud-based software simplifies processing and compliance, making payroll a breeze.
— Employment Hero, Product Page
The platform is user-friendly and makes managing HR tasks much more efficient, from payroll to employee management.
— Capterra Reviewer, Capterra Employment Hero Reviews
Related reading: Employment Hero Payroll Software · Free Payroll Software
employmenthero.com, employmenthero.com, employmenthero.com, employmenthero.com, employmenthero.com, employmenthero.com, employmenthero.com
Employment Hero’s HMRC-compliant tools help UK SMBs navigate HMRC wage raid checks and avoid costly compliance pitfalls during payroll management.
Frequently asked questions
Does Employment Hero Payroll handle onboarding?
Yes. The platform combines hiring, onboarding, and payroll in one system. Employee self-service lets new hires complete documents, set up bank details, and access company policies through the app or their account portal, reducing manual HR admin work during onboarding.
Is Employment Hero Payroll free to try?
Employment Hero offers a free tier for UK businesses with unlimited staff. The free version covers HMRC-recognised payroll, auto-enrolment management, pension contributions, NMW checks, and GDPR compliance tools — no staff limit applies to the free tier.
What currencies does Employment Hero Payroll support?
The platform is designed for UK payroll, handling GBP, PAYE, National Insurance, and statutory payments in pound sterling. Businesses with international employees or multi-country payroll needs should confirm specific capabilities with Employment Hero directly.
How secure is Employment Hero Payroll?
The platform holds triple ISO certification: 27001 (information security), 27017 (cloud security), and 27018 (data privacy). Enterprise-grade encryption and role-based access controls protect payroll data, and audit trails log every action automatically.
Can Employment Hero Payroll scale for larger teams?
The platform is designed for SMBs but supports unlimited staff on the free tier. As team size grows, the platform’s hiring and onboarding features, benefits management, and compliance automation scale without requiring additional integrations.
What training does Employment Hero Payroll offer?
The Hero Academy Training module provides step-by-step guides for specific tasks including HMRC Settings configuration, payroll audits, and RTI submissions. The Help Centre at help.employmenthero.com contains searchable guides for common tasks and troubleshooting.
Does Employment Hero Payroll integrate with other tools?
Data migration from existing payroll providers is supported, allowing businesses to import historical records when switching platforms. The platform is positioned as an all-in-one system, reducing the need for third-party integrations for core HR and payroll functions.
Andrew Ellis leads fact-checking, source verification and corrections at Oz Reviewly.