Pension fine fears deliver record client growth for Blackburn-based Pierce

Growing fears over being fined thousands for violating pensions auto enrolment legislation has delivered a record month of new payroll clients for North West accountancy firm Pierce.

The Blackburn-based company welcomed a record 22 new payroll clients in May, attributing the growth to fears over fines and the burden of payroll-related red tape that SMEs have to face.

Following the raft of client wins, Pierce now manages the payroll administration services for a further 500 people. In total, the firm handles payroll for more than 400 businesses with around 3,500 employees.

Pierce’s payroll manager, Lisa Kennery, said: “The auto enrolment process can place a heavy burden on those managing its administration.

“Many businesses need to source advice from professionals when setting up pension auto enrolment in order to ensure that they comply with regulations and that the process is set up correctly.”

She continued: “When advising clients, it has become apparent that some do not process the right software, knowledge or resources to properly manage their pensions and payroll capacity.

“We advise them on how to set up a robust system, but many opt to outsource to us.”