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BrightPay 2024/25 is now available. Click here to get started with BrightPay's cloud software or click here to download BrightPay for Windows/Mac.

Please note : We are experiencing a higher number of calls and emails at this time of year, so you may experience a longer than usual wait time in reaching one of our support agents.

NOTE: You are viewing documentation for a previous tax year version of BrightPay. Click here to view the documentation for the current 2024/25 tax year version.

Contributions

The minimum contribution level required for an automatic enrolment scheme is based on qualifying earnings.

There is a minimum total amount that has to be contributed by the employee, the employer, and the government in the form of tax relief.

What are qualifying earnings?

Qualifying earnings include:

salary & wages
overtime
bonuses
commissions
statutory sick pay
statutory maternity pay
statutory paternity pay
statutory adoption pay

For 2017/18 the qualifying earnings start at £5,876 up to a limit of £45,000.

For example, if you were earning £18,000 a year, your contribution would be a percentage of £12,124 (the difference between £5,876 and £18,000).

The qualifying earnings bands are expected to change each tax year.

Contribution Rates

To allow you to spread the cost of your employer duties you can phase in the minimum contributions from 2013 to 2019.

There is a minimum total amount that has to be contributed by the employee, the employer, and the government in the form of tax relief.

Need help? Support is available at 0345 9390019 or brightpayuksupport@brightsg.com.

BrightPay Licence Terms and Conditions Coronavirus (Covid-19) - Guidance for BrightPay users

BrightPay's Covid-19 Resources Hub CJRS Flexible Furlough Scheme - effective from 1st July 2020Covid-19 SSP & the SSP Rebate SchemeHow to use BrightPay if you need to work from home

Important Information for Mac Users Bureau Enhancements - Useful Functionality for Bureau Licence Holders

Agent Settings Client Details BrightPay Startup Window Batch RTI Submissions Exporting Client Documents Importing Multiple Employers from CSV File Bureau Statistics Report Updating Existing Employee Details from a CSV File Importing Saved Reports from another BrightPay Data File

Installing BrightPay

Installing the software on to your PC Setting Up BrightPay for Multiple Users Download Sample Employer Files Transferring BrightPay from one PC to another

Ordering for The New Tax Year Importing From The Previous Tax Year Moving to BrightPay from another payroll software

Preparing for your move to BrightPay - Useful Guidance Importing Employers - List of Employer Data that can be Imported into BrightPay Importing Employees - List of Employee Data that can be Imported into BrightPay Moving to BrightPay mid-year - Recoverable Amounts to Date Moving to BrightPay mid-year - Employment Allowance Moving to BrightPay - Continuing Auto Enrolment from a previous software Importing from 12Pay Importing from Access Payroll Importing from HMRC Basic PAYE Tools Importing from IRISImporting from Kashflow Importing from Keytime Importing from MoneysoftImporting from Qtac Importing from Quickbooks Importing from SAGEImporting from Star Importing from Xero Importing using a CSV File - Other software Importing using an FPS File - Other Software

Employer Details

Adding a New Employer Adding/ Amending Employer Details Adding/ Amending Departments Adding/ Amending Hourly Rates Adding/ Amending Daily Rates Adding/ Amending Piece Rates Adding/ Amending Addition Types Adding/ Amending Deduction Types Adding/ Amending Savings Schemes Adding/ Amending Bank Accounts Employer Calendar

Employee Details

Personal Employment Starter/Leaver Payment Tax, NICs, RTI HR, Other Employee Count Report Employee Address Labels Adding New Employees from a CSV File Updating Existing Employee Details from a CSV File

Coding Notices Payroll Calendar Processing Payroll

Setting your Payment Schedule Weekly Payroll Fortnightly Payroll 4-weekly Payroll Monthly Payroll Quarterly Payroll Annual/Yearly Payroll Period Summary View (Payroll Preview)Net to Gross Payments Allocating An Employee's Pay across more than one Department Additions and Deductions Processing Pension Deductions (outside of AE)Pre-paying an Employee Zeroising Payslips Finalising Payslips Printing Payslips Emailing Payslips Exporting Payslips Paying Employees

Importing Pay Data using CSV File

Importing Periodic Payments using CSV file Importing Daily Payments using CSV file Importing Hourly Payments using CSV file Importing Additions using CSV file Importing Deductions using CSV file Importing Notes using CSV file Importing Payments, Additions & Deductions in a single CSV File

Reporting Contracted Hours - Hourly Bands for FPS Full Payment Submission (FPS)Additional Full Payment Submission Employer Payment Summary (EPS)NINO Verification Request (NVR)Earlier Year Update (EYU) - Discontinued RTI - Additional Functionality

Common HMRC Error Messages Analysis

Saved Reports Creating a New Report Viewing Reports Editing Reports Saving Reports Printing/Emailing Reports Exporting Reports Importing Saved Reports from another BrightPay Data File

Payroll JournalsHMRC Payments

Recording Payments to HMRC P30 & P32

Making Corrections to Payroll

Re-opening Payslips Re-defining Schedule of Periods

Scheduling Future Payments Switching an Employee's Pay Frequency Directors

Setting Up a Director Directors' NIC Directors appointed during the Tax Year

Setting up a new employee mid-year New Starter Checklist Tax Codes to use for New Employees New Starters and Recruitment Templates

Processing a Leaver Printing a P45 Processing Payments After Leaving

Student Loan Deductions Postgraduate Loan Deductions Statutory Payments

Statutory Sick PayStatutory Maternity Pay Statutory Adoption Pay Statutory Paternity Pay (Birth)Statutory Paternity Pay (Adoption)Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Birth)Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Adoption)Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay Statutory Pay Calculation & Schedule Report

Attachment of Earnings

Attachment of Earnings (Northern Ireland)Child Support Deductions from Earnings Order (DEO)Civil Judgment Debt Attachment of Earnings Order (County Court)Council Tax Attachment of Earnings Order (CTAEO)Current Maintenance Arrestment (CMA)Direct Earnings Attachment Earnings Arrestment (EA) (Scotland)Magistrates Court Attachment of Earnings Order Maintenance Attachment of Earnings Order Other Attachment of Earnings Orders Attachment Order Summary Report

Expenses & Benefits

Expenses & Benefits - Overview Expenses & Benefits - Setting the Tax Accounting Method Applying an Expense or Benefit in BrightPay Expenses & Benefits - P11D & P11D(b) End of Year Return

Pensions (outside of Automatic Enrolment)Payroll Giving Year End

Year End - Frequently Asked Questions Year-End Procedure for Tax Year 2020-21 - 5 Step Guide

Rates & Thresholds at a Glance

Rates & Thresholds 2020-21 Rates & Thresholds 2019-20 Rates & Thresholds 2018-19

Tax Codes - Overview Tax Rates and Thresholds for 2020-21 Scottish Rate of Income Tax (SRIT)Welsh Rate of Income Tax Marriage Allowance 50% Overriding Regulatory Limit

National Insurance

NIC Category Letters NIC Thresholds & Rates State Pension Age Directors' NIC Directors' NIC - where appointed during the Tax Year

National Minimum/Living Wage

National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage Minimum Wage Flagging and Reporting

Mileage Allowance Payments (MAPs)Employment Allowance Apprenticeship Levy Termination Awards & Sporting Testimonials Off-Payroll Working in the Public Sector Gender Pay Gap Reporting Leave Reporting & Employee Calendar

Employee Calendar - Overview Defining and Setting Custom Leave Types on Employee Calendar Recording Employee Leave on the Calendar Adding Notes to Calendar Entries Viewing/Printing Employees' Annual Leave Entitlement Calendar Report

Annual Leave Entitlement Methods in BrightPay Adjusting an Employee's Leave Entitlement Recording an Employee's Annual Leave Viewing/Printing Employees' Annual Leave Entitlement Processing Holiday Pay Annual Leave Request Form Holiday Entitlements - Useful Information

Payslip Translations Backing Up/Restoring Your Payroll Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)Automatic Enrolment

20-21 Automatic Enrolment Assessment Guide Instructing BrightPay of your Duties Start Date Entering your Pension Scheme in BrightPay Processing Eligible Jobholders in BrightPay Processing Non-Eligible Jobholders in BrightPay Processing Entitled Workers in BrightPay Postponing Employees in BrightPay Batch Processing of Employees in BrightPay Processing Opt-out Notices in BrightPay Sending your Pension Information to the Pension Provider Automatic Enrolment Journey Report Generating an Automatic Enrolment Report in BrightPay Switching Pension Schemes/Groups in BrightPay Applying a Salary Sacrifice Arrangement in BrightPay Automatic Re-enrolment in BrightPay Dedicated Pension Providers in BrightPay - GuidanceSalary Sacrifice for Auto Enrolment

BrightPay Connect

BrightPay Connect - Overview Registering for BrightPay Connect Linking an Employer to BrightPay Connect Customising your BrightPay Connect Account Assigning a New User in BrightPay Connect Editing/Deleting a User from BrightPay Connect Standard Users - Invite and Manage Users Enabling Employee Access to Self Service Configuring Employee Self Service Options Disabling/Editing Employee Access to Self Service Inviting Employees to use Self Service Automated Cloud Backup Restoring from a Cloud Backup Two Factor AuthenticationEmployer Self Service PortalEmployee Self Service PortalConnect for Bureaus - New featuresConnect - Billing BrightPay Connect - Terms of Service

Frequently Asked Questions GDPR and BrightPay GDPR and the Payroll Bureau Data Processor Agreement