IRIS Software Group has announced that it has acquired Payplus, a leading managed payroll services provider for businesses and educational organisations.

First launched back in 2008, with a focus on managed payroll and P11D services designed to streamline workflow and improve efficiency, Payplus is the latest addition to IRIS's burgeoning software portfolio aimed at businesses of all shapes and sizes.

The move appears timely as figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that employees on the payroll are increasing, with a total of 28.9 million recorded for June 2021. IRIS is has an already well-established presence in the payroll sector, with over six million of the UK's workforce reportedly paid using the British company's payroll software.

The purchase of Payplus comes with accreditation from the Payroll Assurance Scheme (PAS) along with an extensive knowledge of the business and educational sectors.

IRIS stands to benefit from the in-house expertise at Payplus, particularly at a time when managing payroll is producing increased challenges. Complications caused as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns and the management of furlough payments has meant payroll has become increasingly difficult to manage effectively.

Payroll software

Elona Mortimer-Zhika, CEO of IRIS Software Group, celebrated the deal, noting, “Payplus joining the IRIS family allows us to expand our offerings for managed payroll services, delivering businesses and educational organisations a best-in-class service, getting payroll right first time, every time. The sheer complexity of payroll, especially during the pandemic, with ongoing regulatory changes around the furlough scheme, has meant businesses need the bandwidth and energy to focus on profitable growth.”

“We've spent the last 13 years working with businesses and educational organisations to develop managed payroll services that enable them to outsource the burden of payroll so that they can focus on more profit-focused work," added Robin Mead, MD of Payplus.

"With the incredible IRIS resources and working with the brilliant IRIS team, who are obsessed with everything payroll as we are, we'll be able to take our services to the next level. We couldn't be more excited about joining the IRIS family.”

“Our goal is to support our customers to work productively and remain compliant. We are delighted to bring Payplus onboard and will continue to support its growth and invest in its best-in-class services to benefit both existing and new customers.”