Direct Payroll Services provides specialised, tailored payroll solutions for domiciliary care agencies, supported living providers, and visiting domiciliary care teams across the United Kingdom.
Operating from Wimbledon, London, our experienced bureau processes payroll based on your approved visit and travel records, supporting multi-visit care rotas, travel-time considerations under National Minimum Wage rules, and statutory holiday pay calculations for irregular-hours care staff. We deliver an accurate payroll run each pay cycle, handling your routine calculations and HMRC reporting so your care coordinators can focus on delivering high-quality community care.
Managing domiciliary payroll involves distinct legal and operational considerations that set community care apart from other parts of the care sector and from fixed-site commercial businesses, creating payroll challenges unique to home care and contributing to potential payroll errors.
Unlike residential care homes where staff work in a single facility, domiciliary care agencies coordinate mobile carers visiting clients across the community. Carers routinely work variable hours, carrying out multiple short appointments each day that range from fifteen-minute check-ins to multi-hour assistance calls, making care sector payroll management more complex.
Key challenges of payroll faced by home care agencies include:
Travel Time and Minimum Wage Obligations: Travel between care visits during the working day generally counts as working time for minimum wage purposes. Ordinary commuting and rest breaks are generally excluded, with treatment depending on the worker’s circumstances and applicable rules. Missing qualifying travel time from calculations can leave pay below the applicable minimum wage.
Distinguishing Travel Time From Mileage Expenses: Care workers who drive between clients often receive mileage reimbursements to cover fuel and vehicle wear. While travel time counts towards working hours for minimum wage calculations, mileage reimbursements are business expense payments and cannot legally be counted towards meeting National Minimum Wage pay.
Holiday Pay for Irregular-Hours Staff: The 12.07% statutory holiday accrual method applies to eligible irregular-hours and part-year workers, rather than every care worker. Agencies can choose rolled-up holiday pay for eligible staff or pay holiday pay when leave is taken. Under either arrangement, the agency must enable and encourage workers to take their statutory annual leave.
Fluctuating Visit Durations: Actual visit times can differ from scheduled rotas because of travel delays, extended care or emergencies. Your agency must check, approve and submit complete, accurate actual-hours and travel-time records by the agreed deadline before we process payroll.
Sleep-In Shifts: Supported living providers often roster overnight sleep-in shifts. Under National Minimum Wage rules, time a worker is permitted to sleep is generally not counted as working time, while time spent awake and carrying out work is, so sleep-in hours need to be recorded separately from active care hours.
Working with an established bureau providing home care payroll services helps your agency administer these varied pay elements accurately, mitigating potential compliance risks while satisfying all UK compliance requirements and reducing administrative strain on your office team.
Our managed home care payroll service delivers structured payroll management built around the practical requirements of community care providers and visiting care teams.
Based on your approved client visit hours and recorded travel time between appointments, we manage all gross-to-net payroll calculations across each pay reference period, including payroll taxes. We process travel-time pay using your agreed pay arrangements and the complete, accurate records your agency supplies. Minimum wage compliance depends on qualifying pay and relevant working time across each pay reference period, with responsibility remaining with your agency.
During setup, we agree how travel-time pay and mileage reimbursements will be handled within your payroll service. Your team supplies approved records, with wages and expenses identified separately, helping your coordinators review each pay run more easily.
For care workers who meet the legal definitions of irregular-hours or part-year workers, statutory holiday entitlement accrues at 12.07% of hours worked each pay period, for leave years beginning on or after 1 April 2024. This method does not automatically apply to every carer working under different shift patterns.
Employers can pay holiday pay when leave is taken or choose rolled-up holiday pay for eligible workers. For statutory minimum entitlement, rolled-up pay is calculated at 12.07% of total pay in the relevant pay period, paid alongside normal wages and itemised separately on payslips.
Your agency should check contracts and agree any necessary contractual changes before introducing rolled-up holiday pay. Workers must still be able and encouraged to take their statutory annual leave.
Supported by clear processes, you do not need to re-enter payroll figures into separate bureau software. We process pay runs directly from the summary hours, approved travel time, and staff adjustments your coordinators supply each pay cycle, eliminating the risk of errors and providing a practical way to manage payroll information without disrupting your established scheduling routines.
This includes new starters, leavers and bank or relief carers: we set up new employees from their starter details, issue P45s to leavers, and process pay for relief staff who work irregular shifts.
We report employee pay and deductions to HMRC through a Full Payment Submission (FPS), submitted on or before payday.
Where required, we submit an Employer Payment Summary (EPS) for statutory payment recoveries, Employment Allowance claims or other specified reporting situations. EPS submissions claiming a reduction in the amount owed to HMRC are due by the 19th of the following tax month. Employment Allowance is claimed once each tax year.
At year end, we provide P60s by 31 May for employees still employed by your agency on 5 April.
We assess your variable-hours care workers each pay cycle against the relevant age and earnings criteria for automatic enrolment. We calculate employee and employer pension contributions as part of your agreed payroll service.
In-house payroll software can suit agencies with the time and expertise to manage each pay run. Your team remains responsible for entering updates, checking calculations and managing deadlines.
Managed outsourcing moves the agreed processing work to Direct Payroll Services. We handle calculations, payslips, payroll reports and HMRC submissions, while your coordinators supply approved records and review payroll before completion. This reduces routine administration and gives your team access to payroll support.
We agree a payroll routine around your agency’s pay dates, care workforce and reporting needs, with clear responsibilities at each stage.
Agree Your Payroll Setup: We review your existing payroll arrangements, employee details, pay rates and pay frequency. We also agree how you will supply visit hours, travel time and staff changes, alongside submission and approval deadlines.
Send Your Pay Period Updates: Your team supplies approved care hours, travel time, holiday and absence details, plus any starters, leavers or pay changes by the agreed deadline.
Review Your Payroll: We calculate wages, deductions and pension contributions, then provide payroll reports for your review. Your team checks the figures and confirms any amendments before approval.
Complete the Pay Run: Following approval, we finalise payroll, provide payslips and reports, and complete the agreed HMRC submissions. Staff payment arrangements are confirmed during setup.
Your coordinators remain in control of care records and payroll approval, while our bureau handles the agreed processing and reporting.
Based in Wimbledon, London, Direct Payroll Services provides managed payroll support for care homes and domiciliary care providers. We help agencies handle changing staff hours, employee updates and routine payroll reporting.
Payroll Support for Care Providers: Our published care-sector service covers variable hours, overtime, bank and relief staff, starters and leavers. These practical services help agencies manage recurring workforce changes with less payroll administration.
Flexible Pay Frequencies: We offer weekly, fortnightly and monthly payroll options, allowing you to choose a schedule that suits your agency’s existing pay arrangements.
Established Client Base: More than 250 companies across the UK trust Direct Payroll Services with their payroll, according to our published company figures.
Tailored Service and Clear Pricing: Our managed payroll services are designed around your requirements, with upfront pricing so you can understand the agreed service and costs before proceeding.
“Since bringing our payroll in house, Direct Payroll Services have been great from day 1. Emanuele has provided excellent customer service and professionalism while arranging our payroll. Would highly recommend.” – Glen Smith
Generally, yes. Travel between care visits can count as working time for minimum wage purposes, while ordinary commuting and rest breaks are generally excluded. The applicable hourly rate calculation depends on the worker’s circumstances and relevant minimum wage rules.
No. Reimbursements for business mileage do not count towards minimum wage pay and cannot cover a wage shortfall. Keeping these payments separate from wages helps your agency review payroll costs and distinguish expense reimbursements from qualifying earnings.
For eligible irregular-hours and part-year workers, the 12.07% entitlement accrual method applies to leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024. Employers can choose permitted rolled-up holiday pay or pay when leave is taken. Workers must still receive time off.
Your agency supplies approved hours, travel-time records, employee records and pay adjustments each pay period. We agree submission arrangements during setup, so your coordinators know what to provide and when, helping maintain a clear audit trail for payroll updates.
No. Your agency retains its legal compliance responsibilities as the employer, including completing PAYE tasks and ensuring required payments are made. We handle the agreed calculations and reporting on your behalf, using the approved information your team supplies.
Yes. We can process approved hours covering changing schedules, overtime, additional shifts and different rates of pay. Your coordinators must check and submit accurate records before processing, and review the payroll reports before approving completion of the pay run.
Outsourcing moves agreed processing and reporting tasks to our bureau, helping social care coordinators spend less time on routine administration. Your agency still manages rotas, approves records and reviews payroll, while we handle payroll processing within the agreed service scope.
Yes, eligible low-hours carers can qualify. Since 6 April 2026, SSP has no lower earnings limit and starts from the first full day of sickness. Weekly entitlement is the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 for 2026/27.
Yes. We process pay using your approved records and agreed checks to support payroll accuracy. Payroll reports can help you review salaries, while your agency remains responsible for sponsorship salary requirements, record-keeping and its other sponsor licence duties.
Care organisations operating across different sites can supply approved shift records, different pay rates and payroll records through an agreed payroll process. Our payroll teams handle recurring calculations, reducing repetitive tasks and manual administration while helping you review labour costs.
Ensure your mobile care team is paid accurately while maintaining compliance with UK travel time and wage regulations. Speak with an experienced UK payroll bureau about your agency’s requirements.
Tell us how many carers you employ, how often you pay them and which payroll tasks you need help with. Contact our Wimbledon office to request a free, tailored quote:
Telephone: 0203 0867670
Email: info@directpayrollservices.co.uk
Office Address: Dalton House, 60 Windsor Avenue, Wimbledon, London, SW19 2RR
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