UK payroll for bureaux

Payroll built
for bureaux.
Switch mid-year.

Brain 2.0 handles multi-company processing, HMRC compliance and BACS from a single dashboard — and migrates your existing payroll data without waiting for April.

Book a Demo Explore Software Options
RTI Real Time Information compliant
CIS Construction Industry Scheme certified
Automatic enrolment certified
ISO certified
Cyber Essentials certified
RTI Real Time Information compliant
CIS Construction Industry Scheme certified
Automatic enrolment certified
ISO certified
Cyber Essentials certified
Years In UK
Payroll
Man Hours
Invested
Active Payrolls
Supported
Payslips
Processed
Team
Members

The cost of staying

Doing nothing is not free. It just never appears on an invoice.

The licence fee is the part you can see. Here is the rest of it.

Every month

Re-keying between systems

Four days a month of a senior team member's time, moving data by hand between systems that ought to talk to each other.

Every period end

Reconciliation nobody can automate

The manual check at the close of each period that your current software cannot take off your team.

Every client request

Portal access you cannot give

Clients who want to see their own payroll data and cannot, so every query lands with your bureau instead.

Every HMRC query

Audit trails assembled by hand

The reconstruction exercise when HMRC asks about an RTI submission from eleven months ago.

Most bureaux know precisely what their software costs them in processing hours. Very few switch, because the migration is assumed to be worse than the problem — and because switching has traditionally meant waiting for April, running two systems in parallel, and hoping the year-to-date figures reconcile.

That assumption is the single reason most UK bureaux stay on software they stopped recommending years ago.

Brain Payroll was built around removing it.

Software Options

Lite Standard Premium
Hosting ModelSaaS Hosting ModelSaaS Hosting ModelPrivate Cloud
Employer/Payroll Count (Maximum)200 Employer/Payroll Count (Maximum)1000 Employer/Payroll Count (Maximum)Unlimited
Employee Count (Maximum)1000 Employee Count (Maximum)10000 Employee Count (Maximum)Unlimited
System Usersup to 5 System Usersup to 20 System UsersUnlimited
BAU Technical Support (Bug Fixing) - UnlimitedYes BAU Technical Support (Bug Fixing) - UnlimitedYes BAU Technical Support (Bug Fixing) - UnlimitedYes
BAU User Helpdesk Support (Inclusive)2hrs per month* BAU User Helpdesk Support (Inclusive)5hrs per month* BAU User Helpdesk Support (Inclusive)10hrs per month*
Support Knowledgebase AccessYes Support Knowledgebase AccessYes Support Knowledgebase AccessYes
System Availability SLA99.90% System Availability SLA99.90% System Availability SLA99.90%
Incident Response & Resolution Time SLAStandard Incident Response & Resolution Time SLAStandard Incident Response & Resolution Time SLAEnhanced
SLA Breach Compensation MatrixN/A SLA Breach Compensation MatrixYes SLA Breach Compensation MatrixYes
Named Account ManagerN/A Named Account ManagerYes Named Account ManagerSenior
Standard Trial/Sandbox (Free)Optional Standard Trial/Sandbox (Free)up to 30 days Standard Trial/Sandbox (Free)up to 30 days
Advanced Supported SandboxOptional Extra Advanced Supported SandboxOptional Extra Advanced Supported SandboxOptional Extra
Setup Cost£0 Setup Cost£2,000 Setup Cost£5,000
Platform Fees£600 pa Platform Fees£180 pcm or £1800 pa Platform Fees£800 pcm or £8000 pa
Payslip Charge (per payslip)£0.50 Payslip Charge (per payslip)£0.30 Payslip Charge (per payslip)£0.20
Application white-labellingN/A Application white-labellingN/A Application white-labellingYes
LMS TrainingOptional Extra LMS TrainingYes LMS TrainingYes
Trainer Lead TrainingOptional Extra Trainer Lead TrainingOptional Extra Trainer Lead TrainingYes
Hypercare (Unlimited User Support) Period1 month Hypercare (Unlimited User Support) Period3 months Hypercare (Unlimited User Support) Period6 months
Self-service & Bulk Migration Tools AccessYes Self-service & Bulk Migration Tools AccessYes Self-service & Bulk Migration Tools AccessYes
Payroll Migration Support (Fully Managed)FREE* Payroll Migration Support (Fully Managed)Optional Extra Payroll Migration Support (Fully Managed)Optional Extra
In-app Smart User Support (AI enabled)Optional Extra In-app Smart User Support (AI enabled)Yes In-app Smart User Support (AI enabled)Yes

Testimonials

Ellie Simpson - All3Media
Watch Now
Switched. Simplified. Succeeded.

"As the Payroll Manager for a leading television production company, I know the importance of efficiency and accuracy in payroll processing. After migrating to Brain Payroll, we found the platform to be a game-changer, combining the best of both legacy systems with modern, user-friendly features. Thanks to Brain's responsive support and flexible development options, we smoothly navigated the migration and enhanced our payroll efficiency. For any company looking to simplify their payroll, I highly recommend Brain Payroll as the solution."

All3Media logo
Ellie Simpson Payroll Projects Manager, All3Media
Norfolk County Council testimonial video
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Complexity to Simplicity

"Switching to Brain Payroll has streamlined our payroll system significantly. The platform's user-friendly design and automation have reduced processing times, and real-time reporting has given us more control over payroll management. Integration with our existing systems was seamless, and the support team is always available to help. We're thrilled with our decision to make the switch to Brain Payroll and highly recommend it for anyone looking to simplify their payroll management."

Norfolk County Council logo
Sam, Shaun & Heather Norfolk County Council
Adam Ford Phase3 testimonial video
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A Game-changer

"Using Brain Payroll has been a game-changer for Phase3C. Its efficient, cloud-based solution allows our team to process payroll from anywhere, with real-time multi-user support enhancing productivity. Comprehensive reporting and seamless data scraping simplify financial oversight, while quick, responsive customer support ensures smooth operations. The platform's easy data uploads and detailed discrepancy analysis save time and improve accuracy, making payroll management efficient and reliable."

Adam Ford Head of Managed Services Phase3
Adam Ford Head of Managed Services, Phase3
Dianne and Dave Epayroll UK testimonial video
Watch Now
Boosted Our Efficiency

"Brain Payroll's bulk processing has boosted our efficiency, and their expertise have streamlined our payroll tasks. Despite migration challenges, their support team was incredibly helpful. The user-friendly interface and quick access to data have improved our daily operations. Brain Payroll has truly enhanced our payroll processes!"

Dianne and Dave Directors Epayroll UK Ltd
Dianne & Dave Directors, Epayroll UK Ltd
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Before you switch

Questions payroll managers ask before switching.

Can we migrate mid-tax-year, honestly?

Yes. Year-to-date figures transfer intact and are available immediately, with tax and NI verified on transfer. This is the capability most bureaux assume does not exist, which is why we lead with it.

No. The migration is managed as a transfer, not a parallel run. Your specialist agrees the cutover point with you.

Yes — RTI recognised, CIS certified and auto-enrolment certified. ISO certified and Cyber Essentials certified for data security.

It depends on client count and data condition. You will receive a specific timeline in writing in your proposal, before you commit.

You have unmetered support for three months from go-live, with a named contact who managed your migration. Support operates under an SLA rather than a best-efforts arrangement.

Will our clients need to change how they work?

Client and employee portals are configurable, and client self-service typically reduces inbound queries rather than adding to them. Existing workflows can generally be reproduced.

REST APIs and integrations across accounting, HR and time-and-attendance systems, with real-time synchronisation. Bring your integration list to the demonstration and we will confirm specifics rather than generalities.

Encrypted at rest and in transit, role-based access control, GDPR compliant, regular independent security audits, encrypted backups. Our DPA and data protection policy are available before you sign anything.

Assessment costs you 30 minutes. Migration happens when you choose. The bureaux that struggle are the ones that wait for a quiet period that does not arrive, then rush a decision before April.

Book a demonstration

Book a demonstration against your own payroll scenario.

Thirty minutes, with a payroll specialist, using your client mix and your volumes. You will leave with an indicative figure and an honest answer about whether Brain Payroll improves on what you are running now.

A note on timing. Most UK bureaux review payroll software in February and March, decide they cannot risk a change before April, and defer for another twelve months. That cycle is precisely what mid-year migration was built to break. If your current system is costing you processing hours now, there is no operational reason to spend another tax year on it.

If you would rather speak to someone before filling in a form, call 020 8004 7445 and ask for the bureau team.