The Advanced Payroll Technician Certificate online qualification allows individuals to develop the knowledge and skills required to broaden their payroll skillset. Whilst studying the course at home, students’ progress through the qualification from applying complex payroll legislation and contractual obligations and mastering the accurate calculation of deductions to understanding the principles of Automatic Enrolment and Salary Sacrifice.
Please note: Once the Learner is enrolled and Course Materials have been accessed, the Learner cannot be removed from the Qualification and no refund will be made. A Learner can only withdraw or defer their studies once full payment for the qualification has been received. For deferrals, an additional fee will be charged upon re-enrol.
Who is this qualification aimed at and why you should invest?
Who is this qualification aimed at?
Payroll administrators, payroll coordinators and payroll officers who work in a payroll bureau, accountancy firm or in-house payroll team. Those who require a knowledge of pensions from a payroll perspective will also benefit from completing this qualification.
This course is also suitable for individuals entering the payroll software development industry or HR and finance professionals who have assumed responsibility for the payroll department but need a hands-on comprehension of how payroll figures and forms are produced.
Why should I invest in this qualification?
Having fully trained payroll administrators is vital for organisations to ensure they remain compliant with the increasing amount of regulation and legislation which impacts on the day to day running of the payroll department.
Designed for those new to payroll, or those who wish to widen their working knowledge of payroll processes and responsibilities, this qualification covers the core skills required to administer the payroll function.
From calculating gross pay, National Minimum Wage compliance, and identifying the differences between taxable and NICable pay, the course contains in-depth methodologies for the manual calculation of PAYE income tax, NICs, student loan deductions and statutory payments. The qualification offers detailed instruction of annual leave entitlement and holiday pay*, the circumstances that trigger Automatic Enrolment and the processes that follow, it highlights payrolls responsibilities surrounding pension schemes, pensioner payrolls and the potential beneficiaries. The course then examines the subject of salary sacrifice and its complexities.
Each module offers comprehensive learning materials; links to a range of external material; and knowledge tests associated with these topics. The key subject matter is further enriched with digital online learning tutorials as well as interactive scenario-based exercises, which enable students to apply their new-found knowledge and skills through realistic scenarios. This variety of learning mediums provides a complete developmental experience which enhances ready application in the workplace, to the benefit of student and employer alike.
On completion of this course, you will have the knowledge required to enable you to efficiently and accurately handle the variety of issues encountered when processing payroll.
*Please see content section for further details.
Content
Please note: the first five units of this qualification are exactly the same as the Payroll Technician Certificate. If you have already completed the Payroll Technician Certificate, you can complete the Payroll Technician Certificate top-up instead. This will bring your level of learning up to the same standard as the Payroll Technician Certificate - Advanced.
Unit 1 - Gross pay, minimum wage, and calculating National Insurance contributions
-
Gross income payable
-
Apportionment of salary
-
Lawful deductions from pay
-
Minimum wage rates
-
Eligibility requirements
-
Compliance responsibilities
-
Penalties for non-compliance
-
Common NI category letters
-
NI Rates and thresholds
-
Calculating NICable earnings
-
Calculating NICs using exact percentage method
Unit 2 - Taxable Pay and Income Tax calculations
-
Purpose and function of tax codes
-
Starter and leaver documentation
-
Calculating taxable pay
-
Calculating income tax using tables A and tables B to D
Unit 3 - Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculations and Administration
-
Factors affecting entitlement to SSP
-
Determining eligibility to SSP
-
Calculating SSP
-
Record-keeping requirements
-
Compliance
-
Arbitration considerations
Unit 4 - Child-related Statutory Payment Calculations and Administration
-
Determining eligibility to statutory child-related leave (maternity, adoption, paternity)
-
Determining eligibility to statutory child-related pay (maternity, adoption, paternity)
-
Calculating statutory child-related pay (maternity, adoption, paternity)
-
Record-keeping requirements
-
Entitlement to family leave and time off for dependants
Unit 5 - Administering Statutory Deductions and Additional Payroll Obligations
-
Student loan repayment plans and thresholds
-
Calculating student loan deductions
-
Deductions for attachment orders
-
PAYE reporting and remittances
Unit 6 - Annual Leave Entitlement and Holiday Pay
-
Legislation that affects annual leave entitlement and holiday pay
-
Defining a worker and their leave year
-
The impact of common types of leave on annual leave entitlement
-
Calculating holiday pay
Unit 7 - Automatic Enrolment and Pensions Principles
-
Key principles of pension schemes
-
Tax relief mechanisms
-
Workers for automatic enrolment and worker assessment
-
Employer duties for automatic enrolment
-
Features of pensioner payroll including starters, leavers and deductions
Unit 8 - Administering Salary Sacrifice for Payroll
-
Features of an effective salary sacrifice arrangement
-
Calculating potential tax and NICs savings
-
Commonly provided benefits for salary sacrifice schemes
-
Salary sacrifice administration, including impact of NMW
Entry requirements
-
Applicants must be aged 16 or over and must hold an active membership of Affiliate Student level or above with the CIPP for the duration of their study. If you are not currently a member, please contact [email protected] to join without incurring the registration fee.
-
Proficient in Maths and English to L2 (GCSE).
-
Preferable but not essential, should be working in a payroll environment or have responsibility for a payroll function.
Delivery and price
Online delivery
The online qualification is delivered through our online learning platform permitting students a more flexible study pattern. Students will work through a series of interactive activities and quizzes supported by detailed study material. They may track their understanding through undertaking knowledge-check assessments before progressing to the next section. The qualification concludes with a three-part assessment comprising of two, timed question-based tests. PLEASE NOTE: From April 2024 the third part of this assessment will change from scenario-based exercises to a timetabled online examination invigilated through remote proctoring to demonstrate competence with manual calculations.
Successful completion of this qualification demonstrates a level of competency and a broader understanding of payroll administration responsibilities representative of modern real-life payroll departments.
Price
Member and non-member rate: £2,645 + VAT
Price includes:
- Online provision through the CIPPs student website
- Allocation of a tutor to support you through your studies
Prices valid until 30 June and reviewed annually.
Examination assessments are remote proctored.
Fees & timetables
Fees
-
Course Fee: £2,745 + VAT
-
Assessment resit fee: £75 + VAT
-
Course deferral fee: £150 + VAT
Timetables
June 2026
Progression
Once successfully completed, you may choose to progress to the Payroll Specialist Certificate.