Construction employers need HR software that handles CIS subcontractor verification, site-based time capture, CSCS card tracking, and Health and Safety at Work Act compliance records - requirements mainstream HRIS platforms often handle poorly. Platforms most frequently used by UK construction firms include BrightHR, RotaCloud, Moorepay, and specialist tools such as Eque2 and Coins Global. Right-to-work checks for subcontractors carry the same civil penalty exposure as direct employees.
Last reviewed May 2026
Construction is the UK's most complex sector for workforce administration. A mid-sized contractor may simultaneously manage directly employed staff on PAYE, self-employed subcontractors under the Construction Industry Scheme, agency workers, and apprentices - each with different tax treatment, entitlement profiles, and record-keeping obligations. Add multi-site operations, variable shift patterns, and HSE safety record requirements, and it becomes clear why generic HR software rarely fits without significant configuration. This guide covers what UK construction employers specifically need from an HR platform and which solutions most commonly appear on shortlists. See also best HR software UK for a broader buyer guide and contractor management software for dedicated subcontractor tools.
CIS, Subcontractors, and the Verification Problem
The Construction Industry Scheme requires contractors to verify subcontractors with HMRC before making the first payment and to deduct tax at 20% (verified subcontractors) or 30% (unverified) from labour elements of invoices. This verification step - and the monthly CIS300 return - sits awkwardly between HR and finance functions. Most HRIS platforms treat all workers as employees and have no native CIS workflow.
The practical consequence is that many construction firms run parallel systems: an HRIS for directly employed staff and a combination of spreadsheets and accountancy software (Xero, Sage 50 with CIS module, or QuickBooks with a CIS add-on) for subcontractor records. This fragmentation creates compliance gaps - particularly around right-to-work checks for subcontractors, which carry the same civil penalty exposure (up to £60,000 per illegal worker) as direct employees under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
HR software buyers in construction should ask vendors specifically: does the platform distinguish between PAYE employees and CIS subcontractors? Can it record subcontractor UTR numbers and verification status? Does it integrate with the HMRC CIS online service or with CIS-enabled payroll software? The absence of these capabilities is not disqualifying for every firm, but the workaround cost should be factored into total cost of ownership.
Site-Based Time Capture and HSE Record Requirements
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 impose record-keeping obligations that intersect with HR systems. Principal contractors on notifiable projects must maintain a construction phase plan and health and safety file. More practically for day-to-day HR, employers must record all reportable accidents, dangerous occurrences, and cases of work-related ill health under RIDDOR 2013, retaining these records for three years.
Time capture on construction sites presents challenges that office-based HRIS platforms are not designed for. Workers may be on-site without mobile signal. Multiple gangs may share a single supervisor who records attendance manually. Plant operators and groundworkers may start and finish at different times to office-based staff. Solutions used in practice include biometric clocking terminals installed in site offices, QR-code-based mobile check-in via apps such as RotaCloud or Sirenum, and supervisor-completed paper timesheets reconciled weekly into the HR system. Any of these is legally adequate provided records are complete, contemporaneous, and auditable.
CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card tracking is a near-universal requirement on commercial sites - most principal contractors will not permit workers on site without a valid card. HR software that can store CSCS card numbers, expiry dates, and card categories, and that generates alerts before expiry, removes a significant manual administration burden for site managers. Not all general HRIS platforms include this out of the box; construction-specialist tools typically do.
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Platforms Used by UK Construction Firms
BrightHR is widely used by construction SMEs, particularly those with 10-100 directly employed workers. Its absence management, rota, and document storage modules cover core needs, and the included employment law advice line is valued by firms without in-house HR. It does not natively handle CIS, so a separate payroll or accountancy tool is needed for subcontractors.
RotaCloud is primarily a rota and time-tracking tool rather than a full HRIS, but it handles the site-based shift scheduling and time capture problem well, including GPS-verified clock-ins via mobile. It integrates with several payroll systems and is used by construction firms as the time-capture layer feeding into a separate HR or payroll platform.
Moorepay offers combined payroll and HR software with specific experience in the construction sector, including CIS payroll functionality. It targets the 50-500 employee market and includes dedicated support for construction-specific pay elements such as CITB levy contributions and industry-standard allowances.
Coins Global and Eque2 are construction ERP platforms that include HR modules. They are primarily selected for their project costing, procurement, and finance capabilities, with HR as a supporting function. They are most appropriate for contractors with 200+ directly employed workers where the HR data needs to interact closely with project cost codes.
| Platform | CIS support | Site time capture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrightHR | No | Basic | PAYE workforce, 10-100 |
| RotaCloud | No | Strong (GPS) | Time capture layer |
| Moorepay | Yes | Moderate | 50-500, mixed workforce |
| Coins Global | Yes (ERP) | Yes | 200+ contractors |
| Eque2 | Yes (ERP) | Yes | Mid-large contractors |
Compliance Checklist for Construction HR Records
The following records are legally required or strongly advisable for UK construction employers. An HRIS should be able to store and retrieve all of them on demand, either natively or via integration with a document management tool.
Employment contracts and written statements of particulars must be issued on or before day one under the Employment Rights Act 1996. For directly employed workers on temporary site assignments, the statement should specify the expected duration and the site or sites to which the employee may be required to travel. Subcontractor agreements should be in writing and clearly establish the self-employed relationship to avoid deemed-employment challenges under HMRC's employment status tests.
Right-to-work documentation must be checked before the worker's first day, with a copy retained for two years after employment ends. CSCS card copies and expiry dates should be stored with an automated alert at 60 and 30 days before expiry. CITB levy contributions (for employers with a wage bill above £120,000) should be calculable from the payroll data the HR system holds. RIDDOR accident reports must be filed electronically with the HSE and a copy retained for three years.
FAQ
Do right-to-work check requirements apply to CIS subcontractors?
Yes. The obligation to check that a worker is entitled to work in the UK applies regardless of employment status. Self-employed subcontractors and agency workers must have their right to work verified before they start work, and records must be retained for two years after the working relationship ends. The civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker applies equally.
Does the CITB levy apply to subcontractors?
The CITB levy applies to employers whose total wage bill (including payments to labour-only subcontractors) exceeds £120,000 per year. Payments to genuine subcontractors who supply both labour and materials are excluded from the calculation. CITB's guidance on levy assessment should be consulted annually, as thresholds and rates are reviewed.
Is a CSCS card legally required to work on a UK construction site?
There is no legislation that mandates CSCS cards. However, most principal contractors' site rules and many public sector procurement requirements make a valid CSCS card a condition of site access. In practice, this means that for most commercial construction work, a CSCS card is an operational requirement even if not a statutory one.
What records must be kept under RIDDOR for construction sites?
RIDDOR 2013 requires employers to report and record deaths, specified injuries (such as fractures other than fingers and toes), over-seven-day incapacitation injuries, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences. Records must be kept for three years. Reports are made electronically via the HSE's online reporting service.
Can a single HR platform handle both PAYE and CIS workers?
Most general HRIS platforms handle PAYE employees well but have no native CIS functionality. The most common approach for mixed workforces is to use the HRIS for directly employed staff and a CIS-enabled payroll tool (Sage 50 with CIS, Xero with a CIS add-on, or a specialist bureau such as Moorepay) for subcontractors, with manual reconciliation between the two systems.
How We Verified
This article draws on publicly available guidance from HMRC on the Construction Industry Scheme, HSE guidance on RIDDOR and CDM regulations, and CIPD resources on workforce record-keeping. Legislation was verified against current text on legislation.gov.uk. Platform capability descriptions are based on publicly available product documentation and vendor websites as of May 2026. No vendor paid for inclusion in this article.
