SCC Chartered Accountants

Meet Diane Mann, Head of Payroll Strategy at SCC.

Diane joined SCC in February 2026, bringing close to two decades of payroll experience from both practice and industry. She leads SCC’s payroll function, overseeing service delivery while driving the strategic development of its people, processes and technology to support the continued growth of the service.

Her view on the biggest payroll myth? That payroll is simply about processing payslips. Modern payroll combines people, technology, legislation and advisory support to deliver a compliant, efficient and valuable service. While software and automation play an important role, it is the expertise of payroll professionals that makes the real difference.

Diane is passionate about transforming payroll through better processes, smarter technology and skilled people. She believes payroll should be recognised as a strategic function that supports compliance, improves efficiency and helps businesses grow.

Ask Diane what song best sums up payroll and her answer is Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. It reflects her belief that the payroll profession has enormous potential and her drive to keep improving, innovating and pushing the profession forward.

Most people who contact the SCC Recovery & Restructuring team describe the same thing. A point where the numbers started to feel harder to explain. Where the month-end conversation got more difficult.

That moment, before anything formal happens, is when professional advice is most useful.

Although it might feel difficult to start the conversation, the options available early in a period of financial difficulty are considerably wider than those available later.

Our team is both empathetic and highly trained to provide you with professional and practical advice to support your journey.

The first conversation is confidential and straightforward.

Get in touch with our team.

📩 [email protected]

Holiday pay is one of the most commonly misunderstood areas of payroll.

The rules have changed significantly in recent years, and getting them wrong can expose employers to costly compliance risks.

Here is what employers need to know:
• UK: Employees are entitled to a statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks paid annual leave each year (28 days) for full-time employees.
• Ireland: Employees are entitled to up to 4 working weeks paid annual leave, depending on their working pattern.
• Holiday pay must reflect an employee’s normal remuneration. Average earnings calculations may be required for employees with variable pay or irregular working patterns.

Common mistakes include:
- Calculating holiday pay using basic pay only and excluding commission or regular overtime.
- Incorrect holiday calculations for part-time or variable-hours employees.
- Failing to carry over holiday where legislation requires it.

With many employees taking annual leave over the summer, now is a good time to review your processes and ensure your holiday pay calculations are compliant. Getting this right protects both your business and your people.

If you're unsure whether your payroll processes are up to date, our team is here to help.

📧 [email protected]
📞 028 8775 5880

The SCC offices will be closed on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 July for the bank holiday weekend.

We will respond to any queries on our return.

Wishing everyone a wonderful long weekend. ☀️

Two of our clients recently completed their respective Individual Voluntary Agreements and provided this testimonial. For this couple, what mattered most was how it was handled with clarity and care throughout.

If you or someone you know is facing financial difficulty, Rory and the SCC Recovery team are here to help.

📩 [email protected]

📞 028 8775 5880

🎉🎈A Very Happy 30th Birthday to Catherine! 🎂✨
🎊 We hope that you enjoy your day and celebrations in the lovely sunny weather, from everyone at SCC! ☀️

When a business is under severe cashflow pressure, accessible, high-cost finance can seem like the only option left.

Short-term business loans from high-cost lenders can however carry significant personal risk. Many come with personal guarantees, which means that if the business fails, the debt does not disappear with it. Directors find themselves personally liable, often for amounts that put their homes and personal finances at serious risk.

We see this pattern regularly. A conversation before that borrowing decision is made can fundamentally change the outcome.

A managed process protects considerably more than an emergency one.

📩 [email protected]

£764m is a strong result, and the fact that most of it is coming from locally owned SMEs says a lot about the underlying confidence in Northern Ireland's business community right now.

Looking ahead, Invest Northern Ireland highlights that "Geopolitical tensions, trade policy uncertainty, rising operational costs, increased competition, and technological change are set to dominate business decisions for the foreseeable future."

These are exactly the pressures some of our clients are working through right now, and where having the right advisors alongside you makes a real difference.

Every £1 of support helped unlock £6 of investment – supporting businesses to grow, innovate and compete globally.

✅ 2,200+ investments supported
✅ 4,300+ new jobs promoted
✅ £122m invested in innovation and R&D

As we enter the final year of our three-year strategy, we’re building momentum to drive productivity, boost exports and strengthen regional economies.

Read our end-of-year performance and what it means for businesses and the economy.

🔗 https://bit.ly/4vKmVCi