Free, HMRC-approved payroll, but only for the short term
Payroll Basics is an option for smaller companies with fewer than 10 employees – over 40,000 businesses use the platform, and over 600,000 UK businesses use IRIS’s payroll products on the whole.
It delivers essential functionality for micro-businesses without the cost or complexity found in larger platforms, and yet still maintains HMRC recognition and full compliance with PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments and Real Time Information (RTI) submissions.
This free product is designed for business owners and managers who may not have a dedicated payroll team but still need to run accurate payroll each month – if you’re a small business owner with a handful of workers and no dedicated teams or HR leaders, then this is quite possibly the most cost-effective way of getting the job done.
Because it’s backed by the broader company that is IRIS, you get access to the same underlying infrastructure but for free. IRIS claims to be the largest third-party online filer with the UK Government, with one in eight UK employees paid through its various payroll solutions.
As soon as your company grows beyond these basic needs, though, IRIS Payroll Basics will no longer be suitable, so think of it as a stopgap solution for the short term.
Still, its low barrier to entry and solid compliance tools make it a logical choice as a stepping stone for smaller employers navigating payroll for the first time.
Our guide to the best payroll softwareIRIS Payroll Basics: Plans and pricing
Being a so-called ‘Basics’ product, there’s one huge benefit to IRIS Payroll Basics, and that’s that it’s free.
IRIS describes the platform as a free payroll option recognised by HMRC, but it’s on its last legs as IRIS sets out plans to bolster profitability looking ahead.
