Johnston Carmichael appoints Stephen Oates as head of payroll – Skilled Insights & Tendencies

Johnston Carmichael has appointed Stephen Oates as head of payroll. The appointment goals at reinforcing the agency’s dedication to guiding employers by means of upcoming regulatory modifications and strengthening its specialist tax management.

David Ward, head of specialist taxes, commented, “With main modifications forward in payroll and employment tax reporting, Stephen’s appointment positions Johnston Carmichael to information shoppers by means of this transition. His strategic outlook and experience throughout payroll, employer providers and entrepreneurial tax incentives might be invaluable to employers navigating an evolving tax panorama.”

Oates is a tax associate and chartered tax advisor with greater than 20 years’ expertise, brings intensive experience in tax technique to his expanded function. He has been with Johnston Carmichael since in August 2022 – and have become a associate in 2025.

Since his final promotion, he has led development in each entrepreneurial taxes and employer providers. His latest place will combine these areas with payroll, making a unified and strategic method below the umbrella of the agency’s specialist taxes staff.

The promotion of Oates, and creation of the brand new function comes at a pivotal time, as UK employers put together for brand spanking new Payroll Advantages in Form (PBiK) reporting laws efficient April 2027. Underneath these guidelines, employers should report and accumulate tax on non-cash advantages – similar to firm automobiles and personal medical insurance coverage – by means of payroll by way of Actual Time Info (RTI) submissions. The brand new course of will substitute conventional end-of-year P11D types and permit month-to-month tax deductions from workers.

Oates mentioned to that finish, “A dependable, correct payroll service is crucial for sustaining worker belief and satisfaction. There are apparent synergies between payroll and employer providers, which is able to solely change into extra obvious with PBIK, so I’m excited to be combing these areas below a standard umbrella to allow strategic considering and proceed to assist employers to incentivise workers whereas assembly all tax and reporting necessities.”