Solihull's Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals has its biggest ever year as it plans HQ move

The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), the Solihull-based body for people who make sure the country gets paid, has recorded the biggest year of membership growth in its history, and is getting ready to move into a new headquarters.

The institute's membership grew by 14% over the year, Brum News reported on 9 November. The CIPP also delivered almost 5,000 training and qualification assessments and welcomed more than 4,000 people to its events. It is now preparing to move into a new 5,500 sq ft headquarters at Friars Gate Business Park.

The profession behind every payslip

The CIPP is the UK's only chartered professional body for people working in payroll, pensions and reward. It is easy to overlook, but the work matters: through income tax and National Insurance, the pay industry collected £475.9 billion in the 2025/26 tax year, making payroll one of the main ways money reaches the Treasury.

Chief executive Jason Davenport said the figures showed employers were taking payroll skills more seriously as the profession changes.

"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," he said.

AI will change the work, not replace the people

Davenport said pay professionals were increasingly seen as strategic partners rather than back-office processors, helping organisations stay compliant and make better decisions. Artificial intelligence, more complex employment law and rising expectations around data are all reshaping the job.

But he does not expect technology to replace the people doing it. "While automation and AI will change the way many tasks are delivered, the knowledge, human empathy and experience of pay professionals will remain essential," he said.

New qualifications and a podcast hit

To keep pace, the CIPP has added new qualifications, including a Level 4 Payroll Specialist Certificate and a Level 5 Payroll Management Diploma, along with on-demand learning through its Payroll QuickLearn service.

It has also expanded its events programme and launched a podcast, Behind the Button, whose first guest was HMRC chief executive JP Marks. The podcast has passed 30,000 YouTube subscribers in its first seven months.

Aiming for 10,000 members

Founded 46 years ago, the CIPP now has more than 8,700 people benefiting from its membership, and its education arm, IPP Education, trains more than 2,800 delegates a year. It represents members in government consultations, offers independent consultancy on payroll and compliance, and runs the Payroll Assurance Scheme, a voluntary accreditation developed with HMRC.

The institute is now aiming for 10,000 members by 2030. The move to Friars Gate is designed to give its team a modern, collaborative base to support that growth, and keeps a national professional body firmly rooted in the Birmingham area.

For anyone starting out in payroll, or for employers looking to train staff, the growth in qualifications offers a clear route into a profession that every business, charity and public body depends on.