What HMRC-recognised payroll software means (and does not)

What the words mean on gov.uk

The recognised-software page states: 'This payroll software is recognised by HMRC. You can use it to report PAYE to us online.' In the same section it says: 'HMRC cannot recommend one product or service over another. We're also not responsible for any problems you have with software you've bought' (gov.uk, last updated 3 July 2026). Recognition is about whether the filing works, not about whether the product is good.

What the law actually asks of you

The duty is on the employer, not on the software. gov.uk's running payroll guidance sets the deadline as 'On or before your employees' payday', when you must report their pay and deductions to HMRC (gov.uk). No rule names a product. Choosing from the recognised list is simply the least risky way to be confident the submission will be accepted.

Three things recognition does not tell you

• Nothing about auto-enrolment. Workplace pension duties sit with The Pensions Regulator, not HMRC. gov.uk states an employer must automatically enrol a worker aged between 22 and State Pension age who earns at least £10,000 a year (gov.uk). Recognised software may or may not assess your staff and submit contributions.
• Nothing about price or support. Products on the free table and products costing four figures a year sit on the same list.
• Nothing about fit. Recognition does not distinguish a full payroll from a submission-only tool. RTI Lite sits on the free table and needs an existing payroll package to feed it.

How to check a product for yourself in two minutes

1. Open gov.uk's recognised software page and use your browser's find function on the supplier's name, not the product's marketing name. The tables are indexed by supplier.
2. Note which table it is in. The free table carries the 'businesses with fewer than 10 employees' wording; the paid-for table does not.
3. Follow the link gov.uk publishes for that supplier rather than a search result, so you land on the page HMRC holds on file.
4. Check the supplier's page for the three things recognition does not cover: the price, the employee limit on the cheapest tier, and whether auto-enrolment assessment and provider submissions are included.

Recognition is reviewed and the gov.uk list changes. The version behind this guide was the one published on 3 July 2026 and read on 15 August 2026. Check the live page before relying on an entry.