MHR Payroll Review 2026: Costs, iTrent, People First & Managed Payroll Quick Answer
MHR provides UK payroll software, HR software and managed payroll services through platforms including People First and iTrent.
MHR is particularly relevant to organisations wanting to connect:
payroll
HR
workforce management
employee self-service
analytics
finance
rather than buying a completely standalone payroll application.
Current published People First pricing includes HR & Payroll: £9.75 per employee/month for organisations with 10–100 employees on a 12-month contract, with implementation included.
MHR also currently advertises a newer transactional package from £7 per employee/month.
However, pricing varies according to the MHR product, modules, employee numbers and service level.
iTrent and MHR managed payroll should be quoted separately rather than assuming the published People First prices apply.
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MHR Payroll at a Glance
Feature MHR
Payroll software
Yes
Cloud payroll
Yes
HR & payroll platform
Yes
People First
Yes
iTrent
Yes
Real-time payroll
Available with People First
Managed payroll
Yes
Fully outsourced payroll
Yes
Payroll processing service
Yes
Emergency payroll support
Yes
HR software
Yes
Workforce management
Yes
Employee self-service
Yes
Interactive payslips
Yes
HMRC recognised
Yes
BACS supported
Yes
People First HR & Payroll published price
£9.75 per employee/month for 10–100 employees
Implementation
Included with the published People First HR & Payroll package
Managed payroll pricing
Quote required
Best suited to
Growing and larger organisations wanting connected HR, payroll and workforce management
Key Takeaways
MHR is an integrated HR, payroll, workforce and finance technology provider rather than simply a standalone payroll application. Its two major platforms are People First and iTrent.
People First provides integrated HR and real-time payroll functionality.
People First HR & Payroll currently costs £9.75 per employee/month for organisations with 10–100 employees on a 12-month contract.
Implementation is currently included with that published package.
MHR also advertises a newer transactional package from £7 per employee/month.
iTrent is particularly suited to organisations with complex HR, payroll and workforce requirements.
MHR also provides fully managed payroll, payroll processing, transactional support and emergency payroll support.
MHR says its managed payroll specialists are CIPP and IPASS accredited.
People First can combine HR, payroll, workforce management, finance, recruitment, learning and analytics.
MHR currently serves more than 1,400 organisations.
MHR says its managed payroll services process payroll for more than 10% of the UK and Ireland workforce.
An updated AI-enabled People First platform was announced in September 2026 and is due to become globally available from April 2027.
Compare MHR with other payroll providers
How do we work?
Our comparisons are researched and reviewed by the Compare Your Business Costs editorial team using provider information, official UK guidance and business buying criteria. See how Compare Your Business Costs works.
Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist, 10+ Years’ Experience)
Last Updated: October 2026
Contents
What Is MHR Payroll? MHR is a UK provider of:
payroll software
HR software
workforce management
finance software
managed payroll services
Rather than offering one product called “MHR Payroll”, MHR provides payroll through different technology and service options.
The main choices include People First iTrent MHR Managed Payroll Services for organisations wanting to outsource some or all of their payroll processing.
MHR currently says it is trusted by 1,400+ organisations and their payroll technology is used across sectors including:
healthcare
education
retail
manufacturing
professional services
The main reason to consider MHR is its ability to connect payroll with wider workforce data and processes.
Which MHR Payroll Product Do I Need?
MHR Option Best Suited To Type
People First
Growing organisations wanting connected HR and payroll
Cloud HR, payroll and people platform
iTrent
Organisations with complex or highly configurable payroll requirements
HR and payroll platform
Fully Managed Payroll
Organisations wanting to outsource payroll administration
Outsourced payroll
Payroll Processing
Organisations retaining HR/data responsibilities but outsourcing payroll calculations
Partially outsourced payroll
Emergency Payroll Support
Organisations needing contingency payroll support
Payroll continuity service
The right MHR option depends primarily on how much payroll control you want to retain internally.
If you want your own team to process payroll: compare People First and iTrent.
If you want MHR specialists to process payroll: compare its managed payroll services.
How Much Does MHR Payroll Cost? MHR now publishes pricing for certain People First packages.
Its current HR & Payroll package is £9.75 per employee/month.
The published package applies to UK organisations with 10-100 employees on a 12-month contract.
Implementation is currently included.
MHR People First Pricing Example
Employees Indicative Monthly Cost at £9.75 per Employee Annual Cost Excluding VAT
10
£97.50
£1,170
25
£243.75
£2,925
50
£487.50
£5,850
75
£731.25
£8,775
100
£975
£11,700
These figures use MHR’s current £9.75 HR & Payroll rate and exclude VAT.
They should not be treated as pricing for iTrent, managed payroll or every MHR package.
What Is Included in the £9.75 MHR HR & Payroll Package? The current People First HR & Payroll package includes the HR features plus payroll and core HR functionality includes:
employee and manager self-service
holiday management
absence management
performance management
onboarding
workforce insights
Payroll functionality includes:
real-time payroll
HMRC-compliant payroll functionality
self-service payslips
P60s
security and compliance functionality
This makes the £9.75 price more comparable with an integrated HR and payroll platform than with basic payroll-only software.
Does MHR Have a £7 Per Employee Package? MHR also currently advertises a newer transactional People First package at £7 per employee/month.
This should not automatically be treated as the standard price of MHR payroll.
Package contents, eligibility and functionality matter.
When comparing MHR quotes, establish exactly which People First package is being offered and which modules are included.
What Does MHR Really Cost? The headline subscription isn’t the only consideration, so check:
number of employees
core modules
payroll
HR
workforce management
recruitment
learning
analytics
finance
implementation
data migration
integrations
support
managed payroll services
Compare total annual cost for the functionality your organisation actually requires.
Compare MHR Payroll Costs
What Is MHR People First? People First is MHR’s connected people and finance platform and available modules include:
HR
Payroll
Workforce Management
Finance
Recruitment
Learning
Analytics
The idea is to connect employee information across these functions rather than maintaining separate systems and duplicate records.
For payroll buyers, one of the most important features is real-time payroll.
People First can use payroll information throughout the pay period rather than treating payroll purely as a month-end process.
Employees can also access interactive payslips.
Who Is People First Best For? People First can be particularly relevant to organisations wanting:
HR and payroll in one platform
cloud software
employee self-service
real-time payroll
workforce management
recruitment
learning
analytics
finance integration
It is more likely to appeal to an organisation replacing several disconnected systems than a microbusiness simply looking for the cheapest way to submit PAYE.
People First AI Developments MHR announced an updated version of People First in September 2026 and the updated platform introduces enhanced AI-enabled capabilities across areas including:
HR
payroll
workforce management
recruitment
onboarding
talent management
learning
MHR says the platform will use connected organisational data to provide employees, managers and leaders with easier access to information and insights.
However, the updated version announced in September 2026 is due to become globally available from April 2027.
Businesses buying in 2026 should therefore confirm which functionality is currently available and which features are part of the forthcoming release.
What Is MHR iTrent? iTrent is MHR’s established configurable HR and payroll platform and is designed for organisations that need:
HR
payroll
workforce management
analytics
reporting
planning
within a configurable system.
MHR describes iTrent as particularly suitable for:
organisations with complex structures or highly specific payroll and workforce-management requirements.
MHR says more than 2.3 million UK workers are paid using iTrent.
iTrent Payroll Features iTrent payroll functionality includes areas such as:
payroll processing
automated workflows
pension processes
holiday allowances
expenses
P60s
interactive payslips
HMRC submissions
BACS support
payroll reporting
Employee information can flow between HR and payroll rather than being maintained separately.
This is particularly useful where changes to employee records would otherwise need to be entered into multiple systems.
iTrent Interactive Payslips iTrent provides interactive payslips designed to help employees understand their pay.
Employees can see information including how:
has been calculated. The aim is partly to reduce routine payroll queries.
Employee self-service becomes increasingly valuable as workforce size increases because every payslip query otherwise creates additional work for HR or payroll teams.
iTrent People Analytics iTrent also includes workforce analytics capabilities – these can be used for areas including:
HR metrics
employee turnover
workforce reporting
regulatory reporting
people-cost analysis
MHR also offers salary-modelling functionality that can help organisations analyse:
salary changes
workforce costs
budgets
forecast scenarios
This makes iTrent more than a payroll-processing application.
People First vs iTrent This is one of the most important questions for organisations considering MHR.
Area People First iTrent
HR
Yes
Yes
Payroll
Real-time payroll
Established configurable payroll
Employee self-service
Yes
Yes
Workforce management
Available
Available
Analytics
Available
Extensive people analytics
Best fit
Organisations wanting an intuitive connected people platform
Organisations with complex and highly configurable requirements
Published SME pricing
Available for selected packages
Quote-led
MHR itself positions People First as a highly intuitive unified platform and iTrent as particularly suitable for complex structures and highly specific HR, payroll and workforce requirements.
MHR Managed Payroll Services MHR also lets organisations outsource payroll, and their current UK payroll services include:
fully managed payroll
payroll processing
transactional support
emergency payroll support
This gives employers several levels of outsourcing.
You don’t necessarily have to choose between running everything internally and outsourcing everything.
MHR can handle different parts of the payroll process depending on the service selected.
MHR Fully Managed Payroll The fully managed service can handle areas including:
starters
leavers
deductions
payroll calculations
statutory filings
payroll reports
HMRC enquiries
employee payroll queries
P60 distribution
P45 distribution
court orders
pension notifications
BACS payments
system administration
This is the option to compare if the objective is to substantially reduce the payroll workload retained internally.
MHR Payroll Processing Service Payroll processing offers a middle ground so your organisation retains control over:
data preparation
HR activity
employee management
while MHR handles areas such as:
gross-to-net calculations
statutory deductions
tax
pensions
RTI submissions
payslip distribution
year-end P60s
This can suit employers that want payroll expertise without completely handing over control of the employee-data process.
How Accurate Is MHR Managed Payroll? MHR currently reports 99.98% payroll accuracy across its managed payroll services.
It also says it processes payroll for more than 10% of the UK and Ireland workforce.
These are MHR’s reported service figures rather than independent industry-wide benchmarks.
MHR Payroll Expertise MHR says its outsourced payroll services use CIPP and IPASS-accredited payroll experts.
This is particularly relevant for organisations outsourcing payroll because the service depends on more than software.
You are also buying:
payroll expertise
process management
compliance support
continuity
MHR Emergency Payroll Support MHR also offers emergency payroll support – this can be relevant where an organisation experiences:
payroll staff absence
system failure
resource shortages
unexpected payroll disruption
Payroll is a deadline-critical business function.
Contingency capability can therefore be an important buying criterion for larger employers.
MHR Payroll Features Features vary according to the platform and service selected and across MHR’s payroll proposition, functionality can include:
real-time payroll
PAYE processing
RTI
statutory deductions
pensions
BACS
employee self-service
interactive payslips
P60s
P45s
payroll reporting
HR integration
workforce management
analytics
salary modelling
Check the exact functionality included with your selected MHR platform and package.
MHR HR & Payroll Integration One of MHR’s strongest selling points is the connection between HR and payroll – so when employee information changes in an integrated system, the updated information can flow through to payroll, which can reduce:
duplicate data entry
manual administration
inconsistent records
payroll errors caused by outdated employee information
Consider an employee receiving a salary increase.
With disconnected systems, someone may need to:
update the HR system
notify payroll
update payroll separately
check both records agree
An integrated HR and payroll platform can reduce that duplication.
This becomes more valuable as workforce size and organisational complexity increase.
MHR Workforce Management & Payroll People First can also connect payroll with workforce-management information and available workforce functionality includes areas such as:
clocking in
time and attendance
holiday booking
shift management
workforce scheduling
This can be particularly relevant to employers with:
hourly-paid workers
shift workers
multiple locations
frontline teams
variable working patterns
Connecting time data directly with payroll can reduce the need to transfer information manually between systems.
MHR Employee Self-Service Employee and manager self-service is available across relevant MHR products, so depending on the platform, employees can access areas including:
payslips
P60s
holiday
absence
personal information
HR processes
Managers can also complete relevant workforce and HR tasks.
Self-service can reduce routine requests reaching HR and payroll teams.
MHR Payroll Security & Compliance Payroll systems contain highly sensitive employee information.
MHR currently highlights security measures and accreditations including:
HMRC recognition
BACS approval/support
SOC 2
ISO 27001
ISO 9001
Cyber Essentials
Relevant MHR platforms also provide security functionality such as:
Single Sign-On
Multi-Factor Authentication
role-based access
People First is hosted on:
Microsoft Azure.
iTrent Shield MHR also offers iTrent Shield and security functionality includes:
Multi-Factor Authentication
user-behaviour analytics
security monitoring
This is designed to help identify unusual or suspicious activity.
Security deserves particular attention when payroll systems contain salary, bank, tax and other employee data.
Is MHR Suitable for Small Businesses? It can be, particularly now that People First has published pricing for organisations starting from 10 employees.
However MHR is not necessarily the obvious choice for a microbusiness with only one or two employees.
Smaller employers should also compare simpler products such as:
MHR becomes more compelling where the business wants HR + payroll + workforce management rather than payroll alone.
Is MHR Suitable for Medium-Sized Businesses? Yes.
This is a particularly relevant segment for MHR and growing organisations often reach a point where separate:
HR spreadsheets
payroll software
absence systems
time tracking
recruitment systems
create unnecessary administration. People First can consolidate several of these functions.
The published per-employee pricing also makes initial budgeting easier for organisations within the eligible employee range.
Is MHR Suitable for Large Organisations? Yes.
iTrent is particularly relevant to organisations with:
large workforces
complex structures
complex payroll
multiple workforce groups
detailed reporting requirements
workforce planning requirements
MHR’s managed payroll service is another option for larger employers that want to reduce internal payroll workload.
Is MHR Suitable for Education? MHR serves organisations within education and has customers across schools, colleges, universities and multi-academy trusts.
Education organisations can have complicated requirements involving:
different employee groups
multiple contracts
pensions
term-time working
complex organisational structures
These are the kinds of environments where a configurable HR and payroll platform can be more appropriate than basic SME payroll software.
Is MHR Suitable for Multi-Site Employers? Yes.
The combination of:
workforce management
time and attendance
HR
payroll
can make MHR particularly relevant to multi-site organisations.
Examples include:
retail
hospitality
healthcare
manufacturing
education
MHR Payroll Alternatives
Provider Worth Comparing For
IRIS UK payroll software, accountants, bureaux and outsourced payroll
ADP Mid-market, enterprise and global payroll
Zellis Large UK and Ireland employers and managed payroll
Moorepay SMEs wanting payroll and HR services
Dayforce Larger organisations wanting HCM, workforce management and payroll
Sage Small and growing businesses wanting established payroll software
Xero Smaller businesses already using Xero accounting
BrightPay SMEs and accountants wanting payroll software
Compare MHR Payroll Alternatives
MHR vs IRIS Payroll Both MHR and IRIS offer:
payroll software
HR technology
managed payroll
However, their propositions have different strengths.
IRIS has particularly strong coverage across:
UK payroll software
accountants
payroll bureaux
outsourced payroll
MHR has a particularly strong proposition around:
integrated HR and payroll
workforce management
people analytics
larger and more complex organisations
Compare the specific platforms rather than the company names alone.
For example:
People First vs Staffology
is different from:
iTrent vs IRIS Payroll Professional.
Read our IRIS Payroll review .
MHR vs ADP Payroll MHR and ADP both serve employers needing more sophisticated payroll than basic small-business software.
ADP has particularly extensive:
global payroll
multinational payroll
enterprise HCM
capabilities.
MHR has a strong UK proposition around:
HR
payroll
workforce management
managed payroll
International coverage should be a major comparison factor for multinational employers.
Read our ADP Payroll review .
MHR vs Zellis MHR and Zellis are both relevant to larger UK employers.
Compare areas including:
payroll complexity
managed payroll
HR
workforce management
employee experience
analytics
implementation
support
total cost
For larger employers, migration and implementation capability can be just as important as the software feature list.
MHR vs Sage Payroll These providers are more likely to appeal to different buyers.
Sage Payroll can be a natural option for smaller businesses already using Sage accounting.
MHR becomes more relevant where an organisation wants:
integrated HR
workforce management
more sophisticated analytics
complex payroll
managed payroll options
A small employer requiring only straightforward payroll should therefore compare whether MHR’s broader functionality is actually necessary.
MHR Payroll Pros & Cons Advantages
Integrated HR and payroll
People First and iTrent options
Published People First pricing for selected organisations
Real-time payroll available
Employee and manager self-service
Interactive payslips
Workforce management available
Time and attendance functionality
People analytics
Salary modelling
Managed payroll available
Partial payroll processing available
Emergency payroll support
CIPP and IPASS-accredited managed payroll experts
HMRC recognised
BACS supported
Strong security credentials
Suitable for complex organisations
Disadvantages
Broader functionality may be unnecessary for very small employers
iTrent pricing is not as transparent as selected People First packages
Managed payroll requires a quote
Several platforms and service options can make initial comparison more complicated
Complex implementations may require significant planning
Additional modules can increase overall cost
The enhanced People First platform announced in September 2026 is not due for global availability until April 2027
Our View: When MHR Payroll Makes Sense MHR becomes most interesting when a business has outgrown the question “What software can calculate our payroll?”
and instead needs to answer “How do we connect our people, payroll and workforce processes?”
That distinction matters.
If you employ five people and simply need:
PAYE calculations
RTI
payslips
MHR may offer substantially more functionality than you need.
There are simpler payroll products to compare.
But consider an employer with 50 employees.
MHR’s currently published People First HR & Payroll price works out at £487.50/month excluding VAT.
That includes HR functionality as well as payroll and implementation is currently included.
The relevant comparison is therefore not necessarily MHR vs cheap payroll software.
It could be MHR vs separate HR software + payroll software + absence management + employee self-service.
That is a much more useful cost comparison.
As organisations become larger and more complex, iTrent becomes particularly relevant.
MHR specifically positions iTrent for organisations with complex structures and highly specific payroll and workforce-management requirements.
Then there is a third buying route managed payroll.
If your problem is not the software but the internal workload, buying another payroll system may not solve it.
MHR lets organisations partly or fully outsource payroll instead.
That flexibility is one of the strongest parts of the proposition.
Our view is that MHR deserves particular consideration from growing, mid-sized and larger employers where payroll needs to connect closely with HR, workforce management and employee data.
For microbusinesses, compare simpler payroll products first.
For complex employers, compare:
People First
iTrent
MHR Managed Payroll
against equivalent solutions rather than treating them as one product.
Before choosing, compare:
employee numbers
payroll complexity
HR requirements
workforce management
employee self-service
analytics
integrations
implementation
support
managed-service requirements
total annual cost
Compare MHR Payroll Quotes
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What to Ask MHR Before Buying
Should we use People First or iTrent?
Which modules are included in our quote?
What is the price per employee?
Does the price change as employee numbers increase?
Is implementation included?
What does data migration cost?
Which integrations are included?
What employee self-service functionality is available?
Is workforce management included?
What reporting and analytics are included?
What payroll support is included?
What is the implementation timescale?
Can we outsource only part of payroll?
What does fully managed payroll cost?
What service levels apply to managed payroll?
What happens if payroll fails internally?
Which forthcoming People First features are available now?
What is the total first-year cost?
What is the expected ongoing annual cost?
Ask for a complete written cost breakdown before comparing MHR with alternative providers.
MHR Payroll FAQs What is MHR Payroll?
MHR provides payroll software and managed payroll services alongside HR, workforce-management and finance technology.
What payroll software does MHR offer?
MHR’s main platforms include People First and iTrent.
What is MHR People First?
People First is MHR’s connected HR, payroll, workforce-management and finance platform.
What is iTrent?
iTrent is MHR’s highly configurable HR and payroll platform, particularly suited to organisations with complex structures and requirements.
How much does MHR Payroll cost?
Pricing depends on the product and services selected. MHR currently publishes a People First HR & Payroll price of £9.75 per employee/month for eligible organisations with 10–100 employees on a 12-month contract.
Does MHR have a £7 per employee plan?
MHR currently advertises a newer transactional package from £7 per employee/month. Check the functionality and eligibility because this should not be treated as the price of every MHR payroll solution.
Is implementation included?
Implementation is currently shown as included with MHR’s published People First HR & Payroll package. Other implementations should be confirmed individually.
How much does iTrent cost?
iTrent pricing is quote-led and depends on organisational requirements.
How much does MHR managed payroll cost?
MHR does not publish one universal managed payroll price. Request a quote based on employee numbers, payroll complexity and required service level.
Does MHR offer outsourced payroll?
Yes. MHR offers fully managed payroll and payroll-processing services.
Can MHR process payroll while we retain HR internally?
Yes. Its payroll-processing service allows organisations to retain responsibility for data preparation, HR and employee management while MHR handles payroll processing.
Does MHR offer emergency payroll support?
Yes.
Is MHR Payroll HMRC recognised?
MHR states that its payroll technology is recognised by HMRC.
Does MHR support BACS?
Yes. MHR highlights BACS support and approval across its payroll proposition.
Does MHR Payroll support RTI?
Yes. MHR payroll functionality supports statutory payroll reporting including RTI.
Does MHR Payroll handle pensions?
Yes. Relevant MHR payroll solutions include pension functionality.
Does MHR provide employee payslips?
Yes. People First and iTrent provide employee payslip functionality.
What are interactive payslips?
MHR’s interactive payslips can provide employees with additional information about how elements such as tax and National Insurance have been calculated.
Does MHR include HR software?
Yes. HR is a major part of MHR’s proposition.
Does MHR offer workforce management?
Yes. People First includes workforce-management options such as time and attendance, clock-ins, holiday booking and shift management.
Does MHR offer time and attendance?
Yes, through relevant workforce-management functionality.
Does MHR offer payroll analytics?
Yes. MHR provides reporting, people analytics and salary-modelling capabilities through relevant products.
Is MHR Payroll cloud based?
MHR provides cloud-based HR and payroll technology. People First is hosted on Microsoft Azure.
Is MHR suitable for small businesses?
It can suit growing SMEs, particularly those wanting integrated HR and payroll. Very small employers should compare whether simpler payroll software would be more economical.
Is MHR suitable for large employers?
Yes. iTrent and MHR’s managed payroll services are particularly relevant to larger and more complex organisations.
How many organisations use MHR?
MHR currently says it is trusted by more than 1,400 organisations.
How many people are paid using iTrent?
MHR currently says more than 2.3 million UK workers are paid using iTrent.
How accurate is MHR managed payroll?
MHR currently reports 99.98% accuracy for its managed payroll services.
Does MHR use accredited payroll professionals?
MHR says its managed payroll services use CIPP and IPASS-accredited experts.
What is the difference between People First and iTrent?
People First is positioned as a unified, intuitive people platform, while iTrent is particularly suited to organisations requiring highly configurable HR, payroll and workforce-management functionality.
Is MHR better than IRIS Payroll?
The right choice depends on your requirements. IRIS has strong UK payroll and bureau functionality, while MHR has a particularly strong integrated HR, payroll and workforce-management proposition.
Is MHR better than ADP?
MHR can be particularly relevant to UK organisations wanting integrated HR and payroll. ADP is also strong in enterprise and international payroll. Compare the required geographic coverage, HR functionality, payroll complexity and service model.
Should I choose MHR Payroll?
MHR is particularly worth considering if you want payroll connected with HR, workforce management and employee data, or if you require complex or outsourced payroll. Compare the exact MHR product against equivalent alternatives before choosing.
Compare MHR Payroll Quotes MHR can provide:
HR and payroll software
real-time payroll
complex payroll technology
workforce management
employee self-service
analytics
fully managed payroll
partial payroll outsourcing
Before choosing, compare:
People First vs iTrent vs managed payroll.
Then compare MHR with equivalent providers based on:
features
employee numbers
implementation
support
integrations
service level
total annual cost
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Related Payroll & HR Guides Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
