Do the job. Get paid. Go home.
For UK contractors paying 15 to 100 subbies a week. Petl Pay takes the Friday pay run off your plate, so you can get back to the work that pays.
UK construction firms use Petl Pay to run their subbie pay runs. Work comes in from the app, WhatsApp, ChatGPT or Claude, Petl works out CIS on labour at each subbie's rate, you approve each payment, it's paid by bank through regulated partners, and everything lands in Xero. Or let us run the whole back office for you on the managed service.
Who it's for
Groundworks, scaffolding, M&E, dryliners and other trades paying subbies weekly.
Running several jobs with a mix of trades and suppliers.
Doing the books on a Thursday night after a day on site.
That want a faster, cleaner way to run the pay run.
A week on Petl Pay
- Subbies and project managers log the week's work from the Petl Pay app, WhatsApp, ChatGPT or Claude.
- Receipts and invoices are uploaded and tied to the job.
- Petl works out gross, materials, CIS and net for every subbie.
- You review and approve each payment, then it's paid by bank.
- Payments and deductions land in Xero, ready for your books.
Example: one job, three subbies
| Subbie on Halloway Developments | Rate | Labour | CIS | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartley Scaffolding Ltd | 20% | £2,000 | £400 | £1,600 |
| Milton Masters | 30% | £800 | £240 | £560 |
| Northwind | 0% | £3,200 | £0 | £3,200 |
Illustrative figures, labour only. Materials the subbie paid for are added on top without a deduction.
Two ways to use it
Run the pay run yourself, with CIS worked out and Xero kept up to date.
We run it for you and you pay for outcomes, like a completed Friday pay run or a CIS return filed by our accountant partner.
Frequently asked
Do my subbies need to download an app?
No. They can log work from WhatsApp, ChatGPT or Claude, or use the Petl Pay app if they prefer.
Can I pay from my own bank?
Yes. You can pay by bank through regulated partners, or download a BACS file and run payments through your own bank.
Does it work with Xero?
Yes. Every payment and CIS deduction is pushed to Xero. QuickBooks is coming soon.
Run your Friday pay run without the spreadsheet.
Tell us how you pay your subbies today and we'll show you what Petl Pay takes off your plate.
Petl Pay never holds your funds. Payments are carried out by licensed, regulated payment partners. Petl Pay calculates and tracks CIS deductions and doesn't file returns itself; have them filed with an accountant. Tax rules change, so check the latest guidance at gov.uk.