Got to answer your questions first now that you've professed your undying love for me!
The AAT Payroll qualification is pretty comprehensive. Try this link as a starting point :
http://www.aat.org.uk/content/item2559/
Whilst the exam fee's with AAT are quite reasonable it has to be a taught course so you'll be at the mercy of training providers who can be seriously expensive.
As an alternative there's the ICB Diploma in Payroll management that doesn't require you to have a training provider so with that option you could perhaps use a package such as Moneysoft or Sage instant Payroll as your software then do the course from a mix of books and the HMRC website.
I would seriously look at Moneysoft as you don't have the client restrictions that you do with Sage products.
With Payroll of course unlike general bookkeeping it's important that you get this years version of the books so less expensive older books are not really an option.
Hope that this helps,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I am currently doing Payroll with Premier Training, AAT. Like Shaun says you have to have the upto date version of the books etc that AAT are currently working to as the Tax levels change every year. The AAT is comprehensive but like the lady said to me at Premier its Ok doing it on a computerised system which I can do but you need to be able to do it manually because if someone asks you why did I pay that much tax that month then you need to be able to explain in general terms why they are taxed that month and NI as well, not just say thats how the Computer worked it out.
I have really enjoyed doing it and am just about to start looking at the year end books (Level 3) and assignments now January is out the way! Haven't done that bit yet so could be interesting learning it.
Have a look on the net and see what other training providers are doing. All mine is long distance learning and post off the assignments etc, then go to an exam centre for the exam.
Hope that helps. They definately go hand in hand, and is worth doing I think.
Regards A
-- Edited by Amanda on Saturday 30th of January 2010 02:15:11 PM
-- Edited by Amanda on Saturday 30th of January 2010 06:27:17 PM
I am just arranging some training with the Payroll Alliance with is part of Lexis Nexis, although they are not so cheap, the options available I believe are:
Payroll Alliance Institure of Payroll Professionals (IPP) AAT Payroll
Is anyone aware of any others? Amanda what areas does the AAT payroll qualification cover?
I have only taken the AAT DNP (Determining Net Pay), so far, and before getting down to the nitty gritty, you have to learn about the rules etc, Data protection, small bit on Employment rights etc, it was just basic stuff about if theres a payroll department and a new person is employed you need to ask for P45, if not P45 then fill out P46, and if overtime is applicable don't just take the persons word for it, you must have it authorised by a supervisor or which other way the company works etc. It was just general stuff to start with, also quite abit on Student Loans about what form you need to receive before allowing any deducitons to be made. Then the nitty gritty the bit I enjoyed the most about Tax and NI, about different rates, levels in which they change filling out P11 if you were doing it manually, tax tables etc. You were given alot of assignments where you have to work out someones payslip form scratch. the difficult bit for me was the sick pay part, which took quite a while to get my head round it, revised it like mad then it wasn't in the exam. In general I think a good basis for payroll, I had done it on a PC before but not actually worked it out manually.
Just starting to learn about the year end bit now, which I have never done before, had a very busy January so didn't even pick up the books but will do so very soon as time is ticking on. I don't know about the othere bodies who offer payroll so can't really answer anything about them. I just went for AAT payroll as I know AAT is widely accepted in accounts practice, if I decide later to offer that service as outsourcing it. I know alot of Accountants locally who do it in house but get fed up with it. Its abit of a neish market where I am so hoping to capitalise on it hopefully.
Hope that helps. Amanda
-- Edited by Amanda on Monday 1st of February 2010 01:41:42 PM
Hi Amanda - my payroll experience was gained the other way round, did manual for years and now do computerised. However, it is really good to know manual because this weekend I was doing payroll and the computer said SSP was not payable because the weekly averages were too low. I knew this to be wrong, looked at the weekly averages and sure enough they were well over the minimum for SSP. Worked it out manually using tables from t'internet then went back restored the payroll did it again and it worked. Had I not had any idea of manual and/or rates at which SSP can be paid the poor employee would have been shortchanged and the employer could have been in trouble. I know sometimes people are employed to do payroll as a "data entry" job just shows how this can backfire.
Ive done computerised payroll recently via the IAB, took levels 2 & 3 in the same week (daring, I know). I started teaching it last Septembertoo. I love payroll & Im going to enrol on the IPP but to skip year one I have to take a test on manual payroll so Ill self-teach myself the manual side again. I used Holmes training, it was about £160 for the paperwork & I already had Sage as well, Sue is a fellowship member of the Iab like myself she is really helpful so e-mail or give her a call.
