Build and scale your developer team in the United Kingdom with compliant, efficient workforce payments—nationwide, no local entity required.
GEOR ensures compliant, streamlined payroll for IT startups and scaling enterprises across the United Kingdom.
£2.56 trillion
English
£ (GBP)
£30k–£100k/year
For tech companies, it’s important to distinguish between employees, workers, and contractors—and to follow British and Northern Irish laws on wages, working time, taxes, and statutory benefits.
Understanding the difference between employees, workers, and self-employed contractors is critical for tech firms to remain compliant with labour laws, ensure accurate tax treatment, and provide the correct employment rights.
Definition
Work under a contract of employment and are entitled to full statutory employment rights.
Key rights and benefits
Job duties
May include complex or routine tasks. Work is directed by the employer, and employees are part of the organisation.
Common roles
Software Engineers, Product Managers, Data Scientists, UX Designers, Project Managers
Definition
Perform work under a contract but with fewer rights than employees. Often used for casual or zero-hours work.
Key rights
Common roles
Junior Developers, Tech Support, QA Testers working via platforms or short-term contracts
Definition
Run their own business and provide services to clients. Not entitled to employment rights.
Tax status
Must handle their own taxes and NIC. Subject to IR35 if engaged via a limited company.
Common roles
Freelance Developers, Tech Consultants, Interim CTOs
In the United Kingdom, worker classification must comply with HMRC’s (His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) employment status guidelines. Remote IT contractors typically operate as self-employed professionals or through limited companies. However, determining their correct status is crucial due to IR35 (Off-payroll working rules).
IR35 determines whether a contractor is a genuine business or should be treated as an employee for tax purposes.
If the contractor:
they are considered inside IR35 and must pay income tax and National Insurance like employees (via PAYE).
If the contractor:
they may be outside IR35, paying corporate and dividend tax instead.
Remote IT professionals—like developers, DevOps, and tech leads—often work full-time on core projects for one client. Even remotely, this can trigger IR35.
If they follow set hours, use company tools, or work under direct oversight, they’re likely “inside IR35” and taxed as employees—regardless of their physical location or self-employed status.
British and Northern Irish employers must comply with labour, tax, and health and safety regulations for remote tech staff—whether hybrid or fully remote.
Remote work does not exempt employers from running PAYE or making National Insurance contributions.
British and Northern Irish software companies often offer equity-based compensation to attract and retain top IT talent. Common schemes include Share Option Plans, EMI (Enterprise Management Incentives), and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).
A payslip is a legal requirement under the Employment Rights Act 1996. All employees must receive one on or before payday, in either paper or digital form.
Northern Ireland) to HMRC to ensure accurate tax codes and compliance with region-specific employer obligations.
Uses a separate income tax system with six bands. Higher tax starts from £43,662. Employers must apply Scottish rates for residents.
Employment law differs from the rest of the country. Key differences include dispute resolution processes and regional guidance, which employers must observe when managing terminations or contractual disputes.
Can adjust income tax rates via WRIT, though currently aligned with England. Payroll systems must still tag Welsh taxpayers correctly.
Managing payroll in the United Kingdom presents several challenges for software companies, especially when dealing with remote tech teams and cross-border structures.
Navigating IR35, pension auto-enrolment, and statutory leave laws requires expert oversight to avoid non-compliance.
Rapidly onboarding developers and IT contractors can overwhelm internal HR processes.
Misclassifying IT contractors under IR35 or failing to meet employment criteria can lead to audits.
Mistakes in holiday pay, sick leave, or overtime for hybrid roles can trigger penalties.
Errors in gross pay, NI deductions, or bonuses reduce trust and breach legal requirements.
Tech firms handling source code or algorithms face legal risks if contracts lack IP clauses.
Different tax codes, local authority requirements, and home-office allowances increase compliance demands.
Competing for British and Northern Irish IT talent requires timely, accurate pay and localized benefits to prevent burnout.
Why GEOR is the best payroll company in the UK’s IT sector:
We handle PAYE registration with HMRC and set up your company for legal payroll operations, ensuring correct tax codes and contribution schemes.
We support proper classification of software engineers, contractors, and remote workers under employment law and IR35 regulations, reducing risks of misclassification.
GEOR manages full-cycle payroll: calculates PAYE, employee and employer National Insurance contributions, and files Real Time Information (RTI) submissions to HMRC.
Our experts ensure compliance with fiscal contributions and equity schemes such as EMI. We help with reporting, valuations, and employee education around share options.
We offer support for standard and custom packages, including pension auto-enrolment, private health insurance, wellness stipends, and performance bonuses.
Payroll operations are protected with UK GDPR-compliant protocols and enterprise-grade security systems, ensuring confidentiality and regulatory alignment.
Achieve your next big win with our in-depth knowledge of the tech industry’s requirements.
Get the best payroll in the UK—streamlined, compliant, and commitment-free. GEOR ensures smooth operations for British and Northern Irish tech teams.
per employee/ month.
A starter’s package.
No hidden fees or extra charges.
Leverage GEOR’s expert-driven software engineering payroll solutions to ensure efficiency and growth in the United Kingdom.
They understood our needs. They guided us from the start, they explained everything and shared their insights on the market and finally they provided results faster than we expected.
We were impressed by their professionalism and dedication to our needs. Everything was super. We are completely satisfied with the collaboration.
We’ve been really impressed with the temporary labor services they’ve offered. Thanks to them, we were able to secure contracts with top blockchain developers and DEFI projects.
I was surprised at how quickly two recruits, sourced in just a few weeks, delivered an MVP. The team did an excellent job finding the perfect candidates for the job.
With a mission to make the world a kinder place, Calicraft relies on GEOR’s temporary workforce solutions to streamline their human resources operations and foster a supportive work environment.
They go above and beyond with their service delivery. My initial expectations have not only been met but exceeded to a level I didn’t think possible.
Amazing. Just two weeks after we came to them, we already have our candidates recommended and ready to hire. I haven’t had much experience with recruitment agencies, but from what I’ve heard, they work nowhere near that fast.
How GEOR outperforms other payroll providers in the UK.
| Feature | GEOR | Paylocity | Papaya Global | Multiplier | Lano |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance focus | Expert-led | Limited to integrations | Platform-led, no UK HR expertise | Automation-first | Limited support |
| Payroll flexibility | Fully flexible | US-centric, low flexibility in UK | Limited customization | Standardized packages | Less customization |
| Industry expertise | IT focus | Versatile business operations | Global, not IT-specific | Generalized focus | No IT specialization |
| Support | Dedicated HR | Tech support only | Ticket-based, delayed | Limited HR support | Limited |
With GEOR, stay aligned with changing tax regulations while building a top-performing team. Ensure timely, compliant global UK payroll tailored to British and Northern Irish labour laws—and offer competitive benefits that attract and retain the best tech talent.
Focus on growth—leave payroll to us.
GEOR combines advanced tech with expert-led support, ensuring compliance and guidance that automation alone can’t provide.
We act as your Employer of Record—managing payroll, tax, and compliance so you can hire without setting up a local company.
Our legal specialists stay up to date with labour rules, ensuring accurate payroll, correct classifications, and proper regional reporting.
We handle PAYE, National Insurance, pension auto-enrolment, and regional contributions requirements.
Yes. We support stock options, RSUs, and performance bonuses—ensuring compliant reporting and optimized talent retention strategies.
Yes. We streamline payments and tax management for full-time staff and independent contractors—ensuring compliance and consistency.
We manage salaries, taxes, and benefits for distributed software engineering teams—ensuring smooth, compliant payroll across all the jurisdictions.
Absolutely. We help you onboard engineers and developers in as little as 7 days through our expert-managed infrastructure and legal support.
No. We fully manage payroll and benefits, eliminating the need for an internal HR function.
We comply with UK GDPR and implement enterprise-grade security protocols, including encryption, access control, and regular audits. Our systems also meet ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials standards for data protection.
British and Northern Irish tech professionals are classified as employees, workers, or self-employed contractors. Classification depends on control, obligation, and mutuality of agreement—important for tax and rights compliance.
GEOR delivers digital payslips in compliance with the employment law. Each statement includes gross pay, deductions, and net salary, issued on or before payday through a secure online portal.
Among the best payroll service providers in the UK, GEOR stands out for its tech-specific expertise, fast onboarding, and full legal compliance tailored to software and IT businesses.
We deliver end-to-end employee and contractor management services, covering various hiring requirements in the UK.
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