Payroll expertise is more in demand than ever, as the 46-year-old Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) records a 14% increase in members.
The CIPP – the UK’s only Chartered professional body for people who work in the payroll, pensions, and reward industries – has seen continued growth across core areas of the business, delivering nearly 5,000 training and qualification assessments and welcoming more than 4,000 attendees to events.
Payroll plays a vital role in the UK economy, with the pay industry contributing £475.9 billion in the 2025/2026 tax year through the collection of income tax and National Insurance.
Jason Davenport, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals, said: “Payroll has always played a critical role in supporting organisations and their people, but the profession is evolving rapidly. The demand we’re seeing across our membership, qualifications, training, consultancy and events demonstrates that professionals and employers recognise the importance of investing in payroll skills for the future.
“As the workplace continues to change, pay professionals are increasingly being recognised as strategic partners who provide valuable insight, support compliance and help organisations make better decisions.”
The CIPP’s growth has been driven by continued investment in supporting pay professionals (payroll, pensions and reward) throughout their careers, including the development of new learning opportunities and qualifications designed to meet the needs of modern employers.
The CIPP’s focus on keeping employers and employees abreast of ever-increasing changes in pay includes the launch of a Level 4 Payroll Specialist Certificate and Level 5 Payroll Management Diploma, alongside OnDemand learning opportunities such as Payroll QuickLearn, helping professionals access development that fits around their roles and busy lives.
The organisation has also expanded its events programme,, bringing together pay professionals to share knowledge, discuss industry developments and build connections across the profession.
The launch of the CIPP’s highly successful podcast, Behind the Button – which has broken the 30K YouTube subscribers barrier – is providing another platform for pay professionals and industry experts to explore the issues shaping the future of the profession.
The growth comes as artificial intelligence (AI), increasingly complex employment legislation and growing expectations around data are transforming the profession. As a result, employers are recognising the need to invest in payroll and ensure their teams have the expertise to support wider business objectives.
Jason added: “The future of payroll will be shaped by the ability of professionals to combine technology with knowledge, expertise, judgement and insight. While automation and AI will change the way many tasks are delivered, the knowledge, human empathy and experience of pay professionals will remain essential.
“Our role as a professional body is to ensure the profession has the skills, confidence and support it needs to embrace these changes and continue demonstrating its value to employers, government and the wider economy.”
Looking ahead, the CIPP will continue investing in its products, services and engagement with the profession, supporting its ambition to reach 10,000 members by 2030 which is about raising the importance of the pay profession for all.
The organisation is also investing in its future through a move to new 5,500 sq ft headquarters at Friars Gate business park in Solihull, providing a modern, collaborative working environment to support its continued growth.
About the CIPP
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) is the only Chartered Institute for the pay professions in the UK. With over 8700 individuals benefitting from the CIPP’s membership benefits and thousands of professionals using CIPP-approved qualifications and training, the Institute is dedicated to raising the profile of payroll in businesses across the UK.
The education portfolio, developed, delivered, assessed, and awarded by IPP Education (a wholly owned subsidiary of the CIPP), has been developed based on business and individual needs, to ensure they are providing the most relevant qualifications in the market. Their training portfolio covers a huge range of core payroll subjects, at varying levels, as well as hot topics, and currently trains over 2,800 delegates each year.
Their Policy and Research team represent CIPP members and industry at government consultation forums, ensuring members are up to date and have a voice; and CIPP Consultancy provides expert, independent advice to help organisations manage payroll, compliance and people-related challenges with confidence. Their Payroll Assurance Scheme (PAS) is the only voluntary accreditation in the market, developed in partnership with HMRC, and is the prestigious gold standard for both people and payroll processes.
In 2026 they launched a podcast called ‘Behind the Button’ with the launch guest being HMRC’S CEO, JP Marks. This then followed with a range of industry specialists spanning AI, wellbeing, pensions and global payroll to name a few, which led to the series gaining a following of circa 30,000 subscribers on YouTube within the first seven months.
