Top UK payroll service providers 2025

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• Choosing the right UK payroll provider in 2025 is essential for businesses looking to manage international employees, contractors, and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Payroll services now play a strategic role in global expansion, requiring providers to offer tools for salary benchmarking, global compliance, and remote workforce management.
• Mauve Group stands out for its global HR consultancy expertise, EOR solutions, and tools that support compliant and cost-effective international hiring.

In today’s rapidly evolving working landscape, global businesses are more interconnected than ever before. With this comes the rising demand for seamless and compliant international payroll services. In the UK, a hub for international commerce and innovation, a fast-growing number of organisations are seeking reliable payroll service providers that can navigate the complexities of global expansion, employment law, and remote workforce management. It’s no surprise that the value of the UK's HR and Payroll Software Publishing industry is estimated at a staggering £1.5 billion in 2025.

Among these, Mauve Group stands out in 2025 as one of the top choices for organisations looking to pay international employees compliantly and efficiently.

Why UK payroll services matter in 2025

Payroll naturally centres around paying employees on time. However, it also deals with ensuring local tax compliance, employment regulations, and global HR strategies. With the rise of remote work and the growing popularity of international hiring, UK businesses are increasingly looking beyond borders. This creates a need for advanced solutions such as Employer of Record (EOR) payroll, salary benchmarking tools, and visa and immigration services.

Outsourcing payroll has become an essential strategy, not only for cost-efficiency but also for maintaining global regulatory compliance. Top payroll outsourcing companies in the UK are now expected to offer more than the just administering of punctual payslips. Now, global payroll providers need to support strategic HR goals, enable global mobility, and simplify the complexity of managing a global workforce.

Mauve Group: leading the pack in 2025

Founded almost 30 years ago by CEO Ann Ellis, who remains at the head of the company, Mauve Group is a trusted name in EOR, global HR, and payroll services. With operations in over 150 countries, Mauve is a top-tier choice for companies seeking to employ staff overseas, manage payroll for international employees, and ensure full compliance with foreign regulations.

What sets Mauve Group apart?

With almost three decades of global mobility experience, Mauve’s experts have learned the ins and outs of global expansion from Mauve’s own global journey. Starting out as a single-worker company in Italy, to now operating wholly owned entities in 70 countries, while working with trusted partners in 80+ more.

Mauve Group enables companies to hire and pay employees in foreign markets without triggering permanent establishment. Mauve’s trailblazing EOR services simplify how to expand your business internationally by handling employment, compliance, and payroll on its clients’ behalf.

Mauve Group’s tailored solutions go beyond payroll. Offering visa and immigration services, salary benchmarking, global business expansion and more, Mauve helps clients at every step of their global journeys.

Whether you need help with salary benchmarking in the UK, managing international workforce structures, or understanding the difference between a PEO and an EOR, Mauve’s tailored approach ensures your international HR strategy is optimised for success.

Why businesses choose Mauve

Global reach with local expertise

Mauve’s team understands local laws in every country they operate, helping clients avoid costly mistakes associated with global compliance missteps.

Mauve’s staff includes many team members who have been with the company for upwards of ten, fifteen, and twenty years, and it remains led by founder Ann Ellis. This in-house longevity and retention speaks to the family values that underpin the company, and shows just how experienced, dedicated, and people-focused Mauve Group is.

Support for employees and contractors

Mauve assists with both paying foreign independent contractors and employing staff overseas, making them a flexible partner for diverse hiring needs.

Global payroll in 150+ countries

Mauve Group offers Global Payroll solutions in 150+ countries worldwide. This service includes payroll set-up, payroll registration and deregistration, local payroll calculations, salary, compensation, and benefits remittance, local records and reporting, and ongoing payroll management.

Clients also enjoy up to a 65% reduction on overseas transfer fees and bank charges, thanks to Mauve’s long-standing relationship with its global FX partner.

Other notable UK payroll providers in 2025

While Mauve Group leads the pack, several other UK-based international payroll providers are making a mark this year.

Deel

Known for its rapid onboarding process and strong contractor payment capabilities, Deel is a go-to for start-ups managing remote work employees. Deel focuses heavily on tech start-ups and may not provide the deep consultancy that larger organisations require.

Papaya Global

Papaya offers a centralised dashboard for payroll across multiple countries and is strong in analytics. Its global payroll platform is suitable for businesses wanting automation and data-driven payroll solutions.

Papaya has just announced the launch of a dedicated platform for contingent teams in enterprises and managed service providers (MSP) to manage, pay, and scale their external workforce.

ADP UK

A long-time industry leader, ADP is best for large corporations needing enterprise-level payroll solutions. ADP UK provides payroll processing solutions, including cloud-based software and managed services for businesses of all sizes.

Remote

Remote is an emerging EOR and payroll provider catering to tech-forward businesses. It supports the payment of international employees and independent contractors.

Remote has just launched a new equity compensation solution, Remote Equity Essentials, designed to simplify the management of global equity incentives.

What to look for in a payroll service provider

When evaluating international payroll providers, consider the following:

Global HR and compliance capabilities

Seek out providers who understand the types of permanent establishment, tax liabilities, and employment laws across jurisdictions.

You need to ensure that any payroll provider you decide to partner with keeps compliance at the heart of their operations and doesn’t cut corners when it comes to aligning with all local laws – even if it take a little extra time.

Technology and tools

Choose companies offering easy access to salary benchmarking tools, analytics dashboards, and integrations with your HR stack. Mauve Group leverages cutting-edge technology to simplify global payroll.

Mauve Insight, its all-in-one platform, allows both clients and workers access to all worker data and payroll information, at any time.

Opt for a company that doesn’t use technology as a replacement for human interaction, but rather utilises it to elevate client and worker experiences and reduce the administrative burden on its experts – freeing them up to handle complex queries with dedication.

Flexibility and scalability

Whether you're working with overseas employees on long-term contracts or paying foreign independent contractors short-term, your provider should scale with your needs.

Your provider should have a proven track record of working with organisations of all shapes and sizes. Mauve Group is proud to work with SMEs, NGOs, educational institutions, and multinationals across the spectrum of industry.

The strategic role of payroll in global business

Modern payroll is no longer a back-office function. It is integral to global expansion, risk management, and employee satisfaction. Whether you're trying to figure out the permanent establishment meaning or need help managing payroll work from home scenarios, a knowledgeable partner like Mauve Group can be transformative.

Furthermore, understanding what remote workforce means and how to handle such structures legally and effectively is essential in today’s work culture. Companies that embrace smart payroll solutions position themselves better for growth, talent retention, and operational efficiency.