8 starter essentials
Identity and core employee details, start date, contract/job details, pay basis, tax starter information, NI details, payment details and pension inputs.
Free payroll starter checklist
UK Payroll Readiness Checklist
A practical 18-prompt checklist for onboarding a UK employee and reviewing their first payroll. It focuses on the information that matters in ordinary use rather than treating every new starter like a full compliance audit.
18 prompts, deliberately concise
5 situational checks
Only apply the relevant items, such as student or postgraduate loans, director status, apprenticeship status, statutory absence information and employer-specific coding.
5 first-payroll checks
Confirm the starter is in the correct run, pay inputs are supported, deductions look reasonable, the first payslip/net pay is reviewed and RTI starter data is ready.
Built for real payroll work
Core starter information is separated from checks that only apply in particular circumstances. The final section then prompts a focused review of the employee's first payroll calculation and RTI starter information.
Important scope note. This checklist is a practical payroll operations aid. It is not legal, tax, pension or compliance advice. Check current GOV.UK, HMRC and The Pensions Regulator guidance where a statutory rule or unusual case needs confirmation.
Practical rather than exhaustive
Download the 18-prompt checklist
Use it as a starter onboarding and first-payroll review prompt, then keep only the situational checks that actually apply to the employee in front of you.