Member News
A payroll specialist in the North East has been promoted at UK top 10 accountancy and business advisory firm Azets.
Newcastle-based Claire Brown is now Director of Payroll North – one of three staff promoted to its UK Payroll Services team to newly created roles in the business.
Claire, who was previously Associate Director, joins York-based Julie Gunnell, Associate Director of Growth for Payroll, and Christopher Waterson, near Portsmouth, who is Director of Payroll South.
She said: “Payroll is a critical function within a business and has become an increasingly complex area over the last few years.
“My aim is not only to ensure the smooth processing of our client payrolls but to also support employers that process their own in-house payroll to ensure compliance with legislation, and to identify where improvements can be made, whether that be for example with automation, emergency payroll cover and payroll health checks.”
Stephen Abbotts, Director of Payroll Services at Azets UK, which has regional offices in Durham, Newcastle and Wynard, said: “Claire’s promotion highlights the quality of our people and our culture of rewarding high performers, and our continued growth and the emphasis we place on planning for the future.
“We’ve created these three new senior roles to help us build on the momentum we’ve built to date and ensure we continue to support to our clients in every sector of the economy and every part of the UK. We plan to create more senior roles in the team as we continue to grow.
“Businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of Payroll as part of strategic planning and risk management, and we are determined to remain the largest provider of it in the UK while preserving the quality of service that has been the driver of our growth to date.”
Based on last year’s data from the Office for National Statistics, there are around 72,000 VAT and/or PAYE-registered businesses in the North East.
The promotions mark the latest stage in the development of Payroll Services at Azets, which has seen it grow to a team of 160 people across the UK in five years, and shortlisted for four Chartered Institute of Payroll, Pensions and Reward Professionals awards this year.
Claire is the latest senior promotion for Azets in the region, with Claire Needham becoming Regional Managing Director of the North East and Yorkshire.
Earlier this year Jodie Barwick-Bell was appointed private client tax partner and family office adviser at Azets.
Back in July, Stephen spoke of growing concern that smaller businesses in the North East will be affected following the government’s green light over sick pay entitlement from day one of a person’s employment.
A new package of workers’ rights, starting next April, includes removing the lower earnings limit on statutory sick pay (SSP), meaning more people than ever will be in receipt of SSP when they are unable to work due to illness.
“As well-intentioned as this policy is, it is likely to financially impact local employers, especially smaller businesses with employees on low wages, minimal hours or part-time contracts,” he warned.
