A disclosure policy for payroll software sites, from how the site earns money to corrections

Use this template for a payroll software publisher, directory, comparison service or vendor content team. Replace bracketed prompts and obtain qualified review. A disclosure must be prominent enough to affect the reader's understanding, not hidden behind a generic footer.

Ownership and purpose

"[Publisher legal name] owns and operates [site]. We publish [education, comparisons, reviews or vendor content] for [stated audience]. [Owner, investor or group relationship] may affect which products we cover and is disclosed beside relevant content."

List supplier ownership, investments, reseller relationships and shared directors that a reasonable reader could consider material.

How the site earns money

"We may receive [subscription, listing, lead, affiliate, sponsorship or consultancy] income. A commercial relationship [does or does not] influence inclusion, order or rating. Paid placement is labelled [exact label]."

Explain the event that creates payment and whether it changes the customer's price. Do not call paid content independent.

The CAP Code's recognition of marketing communications rules apply within their remit. Check format and prominence with the current guidance rather than relying on one standard label everywhere.

Research and comparison method

"Our comparison covers [customer scenario], [products], [plans] and evidence checked on [date]. We use [official records, supplier documents, controlled tests and customer research]. Unknown information remains marked unknown."

State inclusion, exclusions, criteria, weighting, test environment, researcher, update schedule and limitations. Separate first-party claims from independently observed results.

HMRC's recognised payroll software list is one source for PAYE reporting capability. The page says HMRC does not recommend products. Do not imply that listing validates a publisher's rating.

Reviews and testimonials

"Reviews must reflect genuine experience. Incentives, commercial relationships and material interests are disclosed. We do not write customer reviews of our own products or alter a quotation to change its meaning."

CAP's testimonials and endorsements guidance discusses evidence, permission, relevance and commercial interests. The CMA's reviews and endorsements collection links current consumer-law guidance, including fake-review responsibilities. Determine whether consumer provisions apply to the specific audience and practice.

Accuracy, corrections and dates

"Product features, prices, recognition and rules can change. We show the evidence date and recheck volatile facts before publication. Readers can report an error at [route]. Material corrections are recorded [method]."

Define who triages a report, target response, when content is withdrawn and how past versions are preserved.

Limits and professional advice

"Content is general information and does not replace tax, pensions, legal, employment, security or data-protection advice for a reader's circumstances. Product selection remains the customer's decision."

Do not use this wording to excuse careless claims. Keep an internal register linking each published fact to evidence, owner and expiry. Review the policy whenever revenue, ownership, methodology or law changes.

Sample disclosure for an article

"This page was researched by [name] using the method below. [Commercial relationship] may produce revenue if a reader [payment event]. It did not change [inclusion, order or score], except [specific effect]. Product facts and prices were checked on [date]. We did not test [limits]."

Place this near the comparison or recommendation. Link to the full method, but do not require that second page to reveal the fact that content is paid.

Governance record

Assign owners for commercial relationships, editorial method, claim evidence, review moderation and corrections. Require contributors to declare interests before an assignment and update them when circumstances change. Keep the declaration with the content record.

Test disclosures with typical readers. Ask who funded the page, how the publisher benefits and whether payment affects ranking. If answers differ from reality, revise wording or position. Review mobile presentation and content embedded on third-party platforms, where a nearby label may disappear.

Archive material changes to the policy with an effective date. Notify affected editors, affiliates and suppliers when the permitted wording or process changes.