Leading Midlands payroll expert seconded to HMRC

One of the UK’s leading payroll experts is being seconded to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to support the mandatory payrolling of employee benefits in kind and taxable employment expenses, due to come into effect in April 2027.

Mathew Akrigg, Policy & Research Officer at The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), joins HMRC on an 18-month secondment to support the design and implementation of this change. This collaboration underscores the CIPP’s commitment to ensuring payroll professionals, employers, and software developers are fully supported throughout this major change, as well as HMRC’s commitment to work with stakeholders on changes to the tax system and to help its customers understand what the changes mean for them.

Payrolling of benefits in kind and expenses is a system, currently voluntary in the UK, where employers add the taxable value of employee benefits (like company cars or private health insurance) to their employees’ regular pay in real-time, with the corresponding Income Tax deducted through payroll each pay period. The mandatory process will replace reporting these benefits to HMRC annually on a P11D form, simplifying the tax collection and administration process.

Akrigg’s role will focus on key engagement between HMRC and industry stakeholders, helping to shape policy and practical processes to ensure the move to the new system is smooth, efficient, and beneficial for all parties involved.

Ahead of his move to HMRC, Mathew said: “This is a very exciting time for me and I am honoured to be given this opportunity. Payroll professionals help keep the UK economy going by supporting employers and collecting billions in tax on behalf of HMRC. I am looking forward to bringing my practical experience and industry expertise to HMRC.”

This collaboration will help HMRC to better understand the challenges faced by employers and payroll providers, and to develop effective solutions and guidance to support the sector.

Samantha O’Sullivan, Policy Lead at the CIPP, commented: "Mathew’s secondment is a testament to the strength of collaboration between industry and government. We are incredibly proud that Mathew has been seconded into HMRC. 

“His expertise and practical understanding of payroll operations will play a vital role in ensuring that the payrolling of benefits and expenses mandate is designed with the needs of CIPP members, employers, pay professionals, and software providers in mind. Collaboration of this kind is crucial to making sure this significant change is a success for everyone involved."

The initiative follows the ongoing work of the Cross Body Mandating Payrolling of Benefits Working Group, which brings together representatives from leading professional bodies including the CIPP, the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), the Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT), the Business Application Software Developers Association (BASDA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT’s Payroll Specialist Group.

The group has been working closely with HMRC to co-design an effective approach to the new payrolling framework, drawing on lessons from the successful Real-Time Information (RTI) rollout in 2012.

Cerys McDonald, HMRC Policy Director, Customer Strategy and Tax Design, said: “We welcome Mathew’s secondment to HM Revenue and Customs which will enhance our payroll sector insight, and bring practical knowledge ahead of payrolling benefits in kind and taxable employment expenses becoming mandatory for employers from April 2027. Likewise, this will support the CIPP to understand HMRC’s priorities and challenges, enhancing our future collaboration on payroll issues.

“Mathew’s technical expertise will help us to design, test and implement the real-time payrolling system, ensuring employers, software providers and payroll professionals are supported throughout the policy transition.”

The CIPP remains committed to representing the payroll profession’s voice in policy development and to ensuring members are prepared for the upcoming changes. Further updates and guidance will be shared as the 2027 implementation date approaches.