Bright SG, the payroll and accounting software provider, has announced the acquisition of The Payroll Centre, one of the UK’s leading providers of payroll training and qualifications.

The move follows Bright’s purchase of The Irish Payroll Association (IPASS) 18 months ago and marks a significant step in strengthening its education and compliance offering across the UK and Ireland.

A natural fit

The Payroll Centre, established more than 25 years ago, is recognised for its annual update days, specialist training, compliance expertise and corporate memberships. Together with IPASS, the combined organisations bring over five decades of experience in educating and supporting payroll professionals.

A major highlight of the deal is the expansion of ACT, The Payroll Centre’s skills assessment and learning platform. ACT uses a tailored Payroll Competency Model and an intuitive traffic-light dashboard to pinpoint where payroll teams can upskill, helping reduce compliance risks while boosting confidence and capability.

Neil Hollister, CEO of The Payroll Centre, explained the rationale behind the acquisition to Reward Strategy, “We wanted to ensure the future of the business was in safe hands. With Bright, we gain a strong parent company, and with IPASS we have a sister organisation offering similar services in Ireland. It’s a compelling combination of software, compliance and training.”

Shane Ormsby, Director of Bright SG, added, “Our ethos has always been payroll software built by payroll professionals, for payroll professionals. By combining leading software with highly trained, qualified experts, we’re ensuring bureaux and accountancies can deliver compliant, trusted services to their clients.”

Both IPASS and The Payroll Centre will continue to operate under their own brands, with no disruption for students, employers or existing members. Instead, the acquisition expands access to training, qualifications, and compliance support across both the UK and Ireland.

Plans are already underway to extend The Payroll Centre’s assessment platform into Ireland, offering payroll teams powerful diagnostic tools to identify training needs and strengthen compliance.

Growth with stability

The acquisition is part of Bright’s ongoing strategy to invest in education alongside its software offering. With all three entities, Bright, IPASS and The Payroll Centre, profitable and growing, the move is focused firmly on expansion, not consolidation.

As Shane noted, “This isn’t about cost-cutting. It’s about growth and extending our reach. We want to make one plus one equal three, delivering more value for payroll professionals.”

Neil emphasised that the Bright and IPASS union means they are now the only organisation able to offer services from assessment, through training, qualifications, and membership across the UK and Ireland.

For Bright customers, the acquisition means a more holistic solution: not only market-leading payroll software, but also in-depth training, CPD, and skills development to support payroll professionals at every stage of their career.

Bright, backed by HG Capital, has completed several acquisitions in recent years and continues to explore growth opportunities. While the UK and Irish markets are now covered for education and training, future international expansion remains a possibility.