The Future of Compliance: Why We’re Ready for 2026 (and You Can Be Too)

At Payments Pro, we’ve always believed that compliance isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s the foundation of everything we do.

The UK recruitment landscape is facing a major shift with the Finance Bill 2025-26 and the Employment Rights Act 2025. Between the introduction of Joint & Several Liability (JSL) in April 2026 and the expanded worker rights rolling out through 2027, there is a lot for agencies and contractors to digest.

But here’s the good news: We’ve got this. While these changes might seem daunting, they are designed to level the playing field for compliant providers like us. Here is how we are staying ahead of the curve to keep our partners and workers protected.

1. Joint & Several Liability: Your Risk, Our Responsibility

From 6 April 2026, HMRC can pursue recruitment agencies for unpaid tax if their umbrella partner fails to comply. This makes the choice of provider a high-stakes decision.

  • How we’re ready: We don’t just “claim” to be compliant; we prove it. Our integration with SafeRec provides real-time payroll auditing. This means every single payslip is verified against HMRC records, giving our agency partners a “digital certificate of compliance” that virtually eliminates the risk of JSL.

  • The Payments Pro Promise: We operate transparently, ensuring that PAYE and NICs are accounted for accurately and on time, every time. With us, JSL isn’t a threat – it’s a reason to strengthen our partnership.

2. The Employment Rights Act: Handling the “Day 1” Challenge

The new legislation introduces significant changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Parental Leave, making them “Day 1” rights as early as April 2026. For an internal agency payroll, this is an administrative mountain to climb.

  • Simplifying the Complex: We are already updating our systems to manage the removal of the SSP earnings threshold and the three-day waiting period.

  • Protecting Your Margins: By outsourcing to Payments Pro, agencies can avoid the increased overheads and legal risks of managing these new statutory requirements in-house. We handle the admin; you focus on placing candidates.

3. Looking Ahead to 2027: The Fair Work Agency

The government is moving toward full umbrella regulation and the establishment of the Fair Work Agency. While some providers are worried about this new level of scrutiny, we welcome it.

“The roadmap to 2027 is a positive step for the industry. It filters out bad actors and rewards those who put workers first. At Payments Pro, we are already operating at the standards the government is aiming for.”

Why Payments Pro?

The question for 2026 isn’t just “Who can run my payroll?” but “Who can I trust with my business’s financial safety?”

As an FCSA-accredited and SafeRec-certified partner, we offer:

  • Total Transparency: Real-time auditing for every worker.

  • Future-Proof Systems: Built to handle the 2026/27 legislative shifts.

  • Expert Support: A dedicated team to guide you through the transition.

Let’s Secure Your Supply Chain

Don’t wait for April 2026 to start thinking about your risk. Whether you’re an agency looking to solidify your PSL or a contractor wanting to ensure your tax is handled correctly, we’re here to help.

Contact us today to discuss a compliance health check for your business.

Email: helpme@paymentspro.co.uk

Phone: 020 3819 7220