We’re proud to announce that Ascend Payroll has achieved the CIPP Payroll Assurance Scheme (PAS) accreditation – the gold standard for payroll processes and people in the UK.
It’s a significant milestone for our team, and one we didn’t take lightly.
Achieving PAS accreditation isn’t a box-ticking exercise. It’s a rigorous, independent assessment of everything that underpins how we run payroll, including our processes, our people, our compliance frameworks, and our commitment to continuous improvement.
In our confirmation letter from Jason Davenport FCIPP MIoD, Chief Executive Officer of the CIPP, he noted that Ascend had demonstrated “a commitment to excellence and compliance in payroll procedures and people.” It’s a recognition we’re genuinely proud of – and one we didn’t take lightly.
About the Payroll Assurance Scheme
The Payroll Assurance Scheme is run by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) and developed in partnership with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). It’s the only voluntary payroll accreditation of its kind in the UK, and it’s widely regarded as the benchmark for payroll excellence.
The assessment examines over 100 facets of a payroll operation, including
- How processes are documented and maintained
- How teams are developed
- How legislative changes are prepared for
- How risks are identified and managed.
It’s a thorough review of both the technical and people sides of payroll, not just a check that returns are filed on time.
Critically, achieving PAS accreditation shows that an organisation has the processes and capability in place to manage payroll compliantly and accurately, and that those standards have been independently verified.
What is the process involved?
Before the assessment, we completed an extensive pre-assessment questionnaire covering our core payroll processes, software, data security and risk management, and people development practices. On the day, a qualified CIPP assessor reviewed our processes and procedures against a benchmark scorecard, asking for evidence at every stage. The assessment report was then reviewed by a peer and countersigned before results were issued.
It’s a demanding process by design. The CIPP isn’t in the business of handing out accreditations; they’re in the business of raising standards across the industry, and the PAS process reflects that.
What it means for our clients
For anyone who works with us, or is thinking about switching, PAS accreditation provides independent confirmation that our payroll processes are fit for purpose, compliant with current legislation, and built on a foundation of continuous improvement.
It also means we’re better placed to support clients facing HMRC scrutiny, because engagement in the scheme itself demonstrates that we take reasonable care and put the right measures in place to comply with current legislation.
We’ve always believed that managed payroll should be something clients trust completely, not just a service they use, but a function they never have to worry about. PAS accreditation is external proof that we’ve earned that trust.
Part of a bigger picture
PAS sits alongside our existing certifications, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and ISO 27701, as part of the quality framework we’ve built since founding Ascend.
We’re also a Bacs Approved Bureau and a Living Wage Employer. None of these is a vanity badge. Each one represents a standard we hold ourselves to, and a promise we make to the people and businesses who rely on us.
Achieving PAS is the next step in that journey, and we’re already looking ahead to what comes next.
