School Payroll and Recruitment Service

About the Service

Payroll and Recruitment Services provide services to Schools and Academies throughout Lancashire and the North West.

We currently payroll over 36,000 employees a month, for a diverse range of clients which include over 500 schools, a district council, academies and multi academy trust clients.

Our clients benefit from a large team of experienced, professionally qualified Payroll and Recruitment Officers. 

We have a proven track record in delivering high quality, robust payroll, and recruitment services.

What are the Benefits?

• Named Payroll Officer assigned to each school
• CIPP / CIPD qualified Payroll and Recruitment Officers
• Employee access to AskHR contact centre for payroll and recruitment queries
• HMRC PAYE recognised payroll software with Manager and Employee Self Service functionality
• Local Government authorised administrator for Teachers' Pensions
• Regular online briefings on legislative, regulatory and service updates
• Access to one-to-one training on Oracle Fusion Manager Self-service
• Close liaison with LCC Schools HR, Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) and LCC School Advisory Service
• Management of pension auto enrolment and re-enrolment processes
• End to end online Disclosure and Barring Scheme application management system
• Access to advertise on the LCC Teaching and Non-Teaching Vacancy website, with thousands of visitors each month
• Annual internal and external audits to ensure payroll compliance

Payroll and Recruitment Service

Payroll

Monthly payroll for permanent, fixed term and casual staff

• Gross to net payroll including all associated validations.
• Calculation of Occupational and Statutory Sick Pay, Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay
• Processing within Oracle, for new appointments / changes (e.g., promotion, termination, TUPE, hours, and salary increases)
• Ensuring teachers' new starters / changes are in accordance with the school's agreed pay policy and in accordance with the schoolteachers’ pay and conditions document
• Calculation of bonus, performance related and allowance payments in accordance with agreed timetables
• Statutory and non-statutory deductions including tax and National Insurance
• Payment claims for hours and agreed allowances
• Payment of pay awards
• Provision of electronic pay advices only
• Implementation of adjustments for overpayments/underpayments

Pensions

• Monthly employer and employee pension contributions to the appropriate scheme including AVCs and all related arrears
• All correspondence and documentation to and on behalf of the appropriate scheme, including new entrants, contractual variations, and scheme leavers
• Preparation/reporting of pension related returns
• Processing the monthly pension file to the pension fund
• Processing the teachers' monthly data collection return to the pension fund

Recruitment

• Production and issuing of Employment Contracts
• Verification of advertisement content in regard to employment legislation, terms and conditions of employment and salary grading
• Advertising of teaching and non-teaching vacancies on the Lancashire County Council website
• Placement of adverts in local and national publications as well as the use of social media.
• Dedicated named contact to support schools through Senior Leadership appointments.
• Quality checking and countersigning DBS application forms
• A top 50 Disclosure and Barring Scheme registered body
• Child Barred list checks (formerly list 99) checks carried out on request prior to DBS submission for eligible positions

Advice and Guidance

• Maintenance of School's organisational structure within Oracle Fusion
• Liaison with external bodies to ensure that all current/future statutory provisions in respect of deductions and pensions' contributions from pay are notified and implemented.
• Provision of advice and guidance on payroll policies, procedures and related processes
• Review of payroll policies and procedures in anticipation /response to legislative changes
• The service provides advice on legislation surrounding recruitment and selection, pre-employment checks and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearances.

Supporting the change to Academy Status

• We work closely with Schools' changing status (often at short notice) to ensure a smooth transition
• Our payroll professionals have up to date legislative and practical knowledge of all school status types (Academies, Trusts etc.) and a working knowledge of staff transfers under TUPE regulations
• We have undertaken numerous staff transfers successfully, making sure all stakeholders queries and concerns are addressed
• We will guide you through the necessary steps required for the transition to Academy status, including:

• Banking arrangements
• Third party arrangements
• Registering with HMRC
• Pension Schemes advice on how to obtain Admitted Body Status

If you would like further information, please contact:

payroll-servicedevelopment@lancashire.gov.uk