Education
Payroll & Pension Services
Tailored healthcare and education payroll solutions that manage the complexities of TPS, LGPS, and varied pay scales while eliminating key person risk.
Managing the complexity of education payroll
Payroll in the education sector is uniquely complex, driven by varied pay scales, term-time-only contracts, and the administrative intensity of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Errors in payroll don't just affect staff morale; they can lead to significant compliance failures with HMRC and pension regulators.
Armstrong Watson provides a fully managed, outsourced payroll service tailored specifically for MATs, academies, and schools. We remove the "key person risk" from your central team, ensuring your staff are paid accurately and your pension obligations are met without fail.
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Get in touch with our Sector specialists
Contact the teamPension administration: TPS and LGPS
The most common cause of audit failure in education is pension data. We handle the technical heavy lifting:
MDC and MCR reporting
Managing the Monthly Data Collection or Monthly Contribution Reconciliation for Teachers' Pensions.
Year-end certificates
We ensure that your End of Year Certificate (EOYC) is reconciled and ready for audit, preventing the "late filing" flags that attract ESFA attention.
LGPS management
Handling the diverse reporting requirements of different local authority pension funds across your trust.
Specialist contract support
Education payroll isn't just about the monthly pay run; it’s about understanding the sector’s unique employment law:
Term-Time-Only (TTO) Calculations
Applying the latest rulings (e.g., Harper Trust v Brazel) to ensure holiday pay is calculated correctly for support staff.
Salary scales
Automating the transition of staff through the national and local pay scales, including performance-related pay awards.
Independent sector specifics
We advise Independent Schools on the financial implications of withdrawing from the TPS and setting up alternative, defined-contribution workplace pensions.
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