In this episode: Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits, Salary Sacrifice Traps and Zero-Hours Reform | Payroll Question Time
Payroll Question Time is brought to you by SD Worx. SD Worx offers smart, tailored and integrated HR and Payroll solutions, along with the local expertise, global reach and reliable service you need to grow your business today!
UK payroll has a lot to get through before the summer break. Is your business ready for the biggest shake-up to benefits reporting in a decade?
In this episode of Payroll Question Time, host Steve Yardley and our expert panel tackle the most pressing payroll topics of the moment, from mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind to salary sacrifice and national minimum wage risk. From new HMRC data requirements for company cars to the Fair Work Agency's zero-hours contract consultation. With April 2027 mandation now confirmed and phased, this is essential viewing for every payroll professional in the UK.
From car benefit reporting quirks and real-time Class 1A charges to holiday pay record keeping and salaried staff hours tracking, this session covers the operational, compliance, and strategic issues you need to act on before September.
We cover:
• Mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind: the confirmed April 2027 and April 2028 phased timetable
• New and dropped HMRC reporting fields for company cars and medical benefits
• Why payrolling benefits in kind isn't a lift-and-drop of your P11D process
• The new real-time Class 1A employer NI charge and what it means for your April to July bills
• When the voluntary payrolling registration service is expected to reopen
• Car benefit reporting quirks, the P46 car form, and why real-time alignment still isn't there
• Salary sacrifice and national minimum wage: why "voluntary" doesn't mean it's exempt
• GymFlex, cycle to work, and other disguised salary sacrifice arrangements
• The Fair Work Agency's zero-hours contract consultation: guaranteed hours, notice and canceled shift pay
• Why zero-hours reform could create an ongoing obligation, similar to pension re-enrolment
• Holiday pay record keeping and why NMW investigators are asking about it
• Tracking working hours for salaried staff and the burden of proof on employers
• The April 2029 proposal to cap salary sacrifice tax relief at £2,000 a year
• Is HMRC getting better? A look at dispute resolution timescales in practice
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Steve Yardley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syardley/
Nick Day's LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nickday
Enjoyed this? Check out our sister podcast @thehrldpodcast for more great content!
Our Panel:
Simon Parsons, Director of UK Compliance Strategies, SD Worx
Richard George, Senior Bureau Manager, MHA
Mathew Akrigg, Policy & Advisory Leader, CIPP
Jeni Morris, National Minimum Wage Specialist
Steve Yardley, Host, Managing Director, JGA Recruitment Group
Timestamps:
(00:00) Welcome & Panel Introductions
(06:03) Mandatory Payrolling of Benefits in Kind Confirmed
(09:50) New HMRC Data Requirements for Company Cars
(15:20) Preparing Payroll for Real-Time Reporting
(22:37) Live Q&A: Voluntary Registration Reopening
(28:07) Car Reporting Quirks & the P46 Car Form
(32:58) Salary Sacrifice's Hidden NMW Trap
(42:48) Zero-Hours Contract Consultation Breakdown
(54:33) Holiday Pay & Worker Status Under NMW Scrutiny
(1:04:15) Salary Sacrifice's Future: The 2029 Cap
(1:11:14) Tracking Hours for Salaried Staff
(1:18:27) Is HMRC Getting Better? Wrap-Up
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