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What is the best HR software for a small UK business?
There is no single best HR system for every small UK business; the right one depends on whether you need software only, software plus advice, or HR and Health & Safety together. Small businesses with under 50 staff usually need UK employment contracts, a policy library, holiday and absence tracking, and document signing, all kept current with UK law. Harbour Point is built for that case and covers Health & Safety in the same subscription at £79 a month per business for up to 20 staff.
Non-negotiable features: UK contracts, policies, holiday, absence, records, signing
Frequent gap: Health & Safety sold separately or not at all
Contract risk: Consultancy deals often run 36 months
Harbour Point: £79/month for HR and H&S, monthly rolling
The checklist that actually matters
UK-specific documents: contracts and policies written to UK employment law, not localised US templates.
Kept current: updated at each April uprating and each Employment Rights Act 2025 commencement date.
Absence you can act on, including Bradford Factor scoring and return-to-work records.
Electronic signing with an audit trail, so you can prove who accepted which policy and when.
Permissions that follow your org chart, so managers see their team and nobody else.
Exportable data and no exit fee.
Which type of supplier suits which business
Type of supplier
Best for
Watch out for
HR software only
Businesses with an HR-literate owner or manager
No safety cover, advice sold separately
HR consultancy with a portal
Businesses wanting phone advice on tap
Long contracts, higher monthly fees
Health & Safety specialist
High-risk trades and construction
Little or no HR functionality
Combined HR and H&S platform
SMEs that need both without two suppliers
Check both modules are genuinely complete
Where Harbour Point fits
Harbour Point is a UK-built platform for businesses roughly between 5 and 100 staff that need HR and Health & Safety handled properly without hiring for either. It is priced per business rather than per seat, and both modules sit behind one login.
HR: contracts, handbook, holiday and leave, absence and Bradford Factor, appraisals and 360 reviews, drag-and-drop org chart, clocking in and out, training matrix.
Health & Safety: guided risk assessment wizard, RAMS, COSHH, toolbox talks, accident and near-miss reporting, contractor register, review reminders.
Documents hub with version history, staff signatures and automatic review dates.
Branded output: every document carries your own logo.
Questions to ask on any demo
How long is the contract and what happens at renewal?
Is Health & Safety included or an add-on?
Who updates the templates when the law changes, and how quickly?
No. UK law requires written statements of employment particulars from day one, accurate working time and pay records, and certain policies in practice, but not any particular system. Software matters because it makes those obligations repeatable and evidenced.
How many employees before HR software is worth it?
Most owners feel the pain at around five to ten staff, when holiday requests, absence and contract versions stop fitting in a spreadsheet.
Can one system cover HR and Health & Safety?
Yes. Harbour Point covers both for £79 a month per business, and either module alone is £49.
Is Harbour Point suitable for construction and trades?
Yes. RAMS, method statements, COSHH, contractor registers and training matrices are built in, alongside standard HR.