Employer of Record · Guide index

Employer of Record UK: the complete guide

If you are hiring in the UK with no UK company, an Employer of Record is often the first answer you hear. It is one option, not the only one.

An Employer of Record becomes the legal employer of the worker. Onshore Partners is not an Employer of Record. We run UK payroll for overseas employers, through an HMRC direct scheme or the employer's own UK PAYE, while you stay the employer. Our guides on the subject are listed below, grouped by the question they answer.

Start here: do you need one?

Do I need an Employer of Record?, a short decision guide in five questions.
Employer of Record alternative in the UK, when you need one and when you don't.
EOR vs PEO vs payroll provider, who the employer is under each one.
PAYE vs Employer of Record, which route fits how you want to hire.
EOR, DPNI or subsidiary, the four questions that pick between the three ways of employing someone here.

What it costs

Employer of Record cost vs your own payroll, with an interactive comparison.
Employer of Record pricing comparison, published provider prices side by side, read 22 October 2026.
Hidden costs of an Employer of Record, eight things to check in any contract before you sign.
Employer of Record for one UK employee, the year-one fees side by side, and when it is still worth it.
Employer of Record cost calculator, your own headcount, set against your own UK payroll.
UK Employer of Record price index 2026, providers' published prices, each with its source and the date read.
Oyster alternative for one UK employee, Oyster's published terms beside your own UK payroll.
Deel alternative for one UK employee, Deel's published terms beside your own UK payroll.
Remote.com alternative for one UK employee, Remote's published terms beside your own UK payroll.
Playroll alternative for one UK employee, Playroll's published terms beside your own UK payroll.
Rippling alternative for one UK employee, Rippling's published terms beside your own UK payroll.
Velocity Global alternative for one UK employee, Velocity Global, now Pebl, and its published terms beside your own UK payroll.
Multiplier alternative for one UK employee, Multiplier’s published plan prices beside your own UK payroll.

Your situation

Employer of Record UK for US companies, cost and the direct route.
Employer of Record UK for Canadian companies, cost and the direct route.
Employer of Record UK for Indian companies, cost and the direct route.
Employer of Record UK for Dutch companies, cost and the NI-only route.
Employer of Record UK for German companies, cost and the NI-only route.
Employer of Record UK for French companies, cost and the NI-only route.
Hire a software engineer in the UK, without a UK entity.
Convert a UK contractor to an employee, the routes and the steps in order, with no UK entity.
Pay a UK employee from abroad, the routes in plain terms.
Employer of Record UK for Irish companies, cost and the NI-only route.
Employer of Record UK for Australian companies, cost and the direct route.
Employer of Record UK for Swiss companies, cost and the NI-only route.
Employer of Record UK for Singapore companies, cost and the direct route.
Employer of Record UK for Spanish companies, cost, the TGSS A1 and the pagas extraordinarias.
Employer of Record UK for Italian companies, cost, the INPS A1 and a thirteenth month.
A remote UK employee of a US startup, the three options side by side.
UK contractor to employee for an overseas company, IR35 and employment status.

Choosing an EOR, or leaving one

When an Employer of Record is the right answer, the cases where it fits, and the ones where it usually does not.
Switch from an EOR to your own UK payroll, how the move works, step by step.
Leaving an Employer of Record, notice, exit costs and what to check in your contract.

Not sure which route fits?

Tell us where your company is based and who you are hiring in the UK. We will quote a fixed fee and tell you which scheme we expect to ask HMRC for, or say so if an Employer of Record suits you better.

Get a quote

✓ Reply within 1 UK business day✓ Fixed fees, published✓ No VAT added