Basic PAYE Tools (BPT) guidance for employers updated

11 April 2017

Basic PAYE Tools (BPT) is free payroll software from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for businesses with fewer than 10 employees.

 

The software allows you to perform most payroll tasks, including working out the tax and National Insurance for your employees and sending this information to HMRC.

If you have payroll software that can’t do certain tasks, you can use Basic PAYE Tools alongside it to:

• check a new employee’s National Insurance number (NVR)

• send an Employer Payment Summary (EPS)

• send an Earlier Year Update (EYU).

Basic PAYE Tools has some limitations. You can’t use it to produce payslips, and it’s not designed for agents or bookkeepers with lots of clients. Other payroll software is available.

 

The following guidance for employers on using Basic PAYE Tools has been updated for the 2017-18 tax year:

 

• First time users: how to download and install Basic PAYE Tools - Step-by-step help on downloading and installing Basic PAYE Tools onto your computer.

• Basic PAYE Tools: user guide - Step-by-step help on the most common functions of Basic PAYE Tools (BPT). Includes how to correct submissions and completing final submissions for the tax year.

• Basic PAYE Tools: Earlier Year Update (EYU) - Step-by-step help on sending an Earlier Year Update if you use Basic PAYE Tools (BPT) for your payroll.

• Using Basic PAYE Tools with other software: Earlier Year Update (EYU) - Step-by-step help for employers whose commercial payroll software doesn't have the facility to send an Earlier Year Update.

• Basic PAYE Tools: when an employee leaves - Step-by-step help on what to do when an employee leaves.