UK payroll software

Payroll software built for UK bureaux and accountancy firms processing 500 to 50,000 payslips a month.

Watch: a short overview for bureaux and accountancy firms

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

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Processing time

30% less

The minimum reduction in payroll processing time our clients report after switching.

Migration

Any month

Move mid-year with year-to-date figures intact. No parallel running, no waiting for April.

Includes

3 months

Unmetered support from day one of go-live, with the specialist who ran your migration.

Recognised and certified

HMRC RTI Recognised
CIS Certified
Auto-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.

Pricing

Three tiers, priced on payslips rather than seats.

You are never charged per user, so adding a colleague to the system does not change what you pay. Pick the tier that matches your monthly volume — you can move between tiers as your client base grows.

Lite

Hosting ModelSaaS
Employer/Payroll Count (Max)200
Employee Count (Max)1000
System Usersup to 5
Standard Trial/Sandbox (Free)Optional
Advanced Supported SandboxOptional Extra
Setup Cost£0
Platform Fees£600 pa

Most bureaux

Standard

Hosting ModelSaaS
Employer/Payroll Count (Max)1000
Employee Count (Max)5000
System Usersup to 20
Standard Trial/Sandbox (Free)up to 30 days
Advanced Supported SandboxOptional Extra
Setup Cost£2,000
Platform Fees£180 pcm or £1800 pa

Premium

Hosting ModelPrivate Cloud
Employer/Payroll Count (Max)Unlimited
Employee Count (Max)Unlimited
System UsersUnlimited
Standard Trial/Sandbox (Free)up to 30 days
Advanced Supported SandboxOptional Extra
Setup Cost£5,000
Platform Fees£800 pcm or £8000 pa

Volumes are a guide, not a hard boundary — if you sit between two tiers we will tell you which one is right rather than sell you the larger. You will have an indicative annual figure on the demonstration call itself, not after three rounds of discovery.

Testimonials

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."

Ellie Simpson Payroll Projects Manager, All3Media

Norfolk County Council testimonial video

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."

Sam, Shaun & Heather Norfolk County Council

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

Dianne and Dave Epayroll UK testimonial video

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

1 / 4

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.

Do we have to run both systems in parallel?

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

Is Brain Payroll HMRC recognised?

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

How long does implementation take?

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

What happens if something goes wrong during our first live run?

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.

Can it handle our integrations?

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.

Where is our data held, and who can access it?

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.

We are mid-way through a busy period. Is now the wrong time to look?

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.