EPM

What EPM does

EPM (operating as EPM Limited) is a UK private limited company providing integrated human resources, payroll, pensions, finance, DBS/safer recruitment, training, and leadership development services exclusively to the education sector. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Huntingdon, the company serves over 2,500 schools and 200+ multi-academy trusts (MATs) across the United Kingdom, targeting headteachers, business managers, MAT central teams, local authorities, and faith-based education settings. Customer relationships are long-tenured, with named clients including Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy Trust, Westminster Academy, Harris Federation, and Shaw Primary Academy.

The company's product portfolio spans HR Services (HR Essentials, HR Advisory, HR Partner, HR Consultancy, HR Investigations & Casework, Strategic HR Support & Restructuring, HR Audits/Training/Compliance), managed Payroll & Pensions administration, MAT Development (education strategy, leadership & governance support, growth planning), DBS & Safer Recruitment (DBS processing, safer recruitment training and audits), Training/CPD & Events (eLearning and live training), Finance Services (strategic finance leadership, operational finance management, project support), and Onboarding & Support. Underpinning these services are three proprietary digital platforms: EPM Connect (workforce analytics covering absence, turnover, and staffing capacity), the EPM Portal (HR/payroll/pensions data and self-service), and the ePayslips Portal (electronic payslip distribution). EPM also operates nEdEx (Network for Education Excellence), a free networking sub-brand hosting conferences and roundtables for education leaders.

EPM monetises through a mix of recurring annual service packages, pay-as-you-go advisory, consultancy engagements, and unit-priced training (e.g., £220+VAT per attendee for live training). Distribution combines direct enterprise sales targeting MATs and schools with approved-supplier status on at least seven UK public sector procurement frameworks (Bloom, Crescent Purchasing Consortium, Everything ICT, CST, Everything FM, 2buy2, Church Marketplace), which are critical routes to market for public sector education buyers. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, subsidiaries, acquisitions, or funding rounds.

Name

EPM

Legal name

EPM Limited

Website

https://epm.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

EPM is a UK private limited company providing integrated HR, payroll, pensions, finance, DBS/safer recruitment, training, and leadership development services to over 2,500 schools and 200+ multi-academy trusts across the United Kingdom, supported by its EPM Connect workforce analytics platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Support Services

NAICS

Professional Employer Organizations (56133), Business Support Services (5614)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) / Co-Employment Services (BPACAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education ERP (Student Information, Finance, HR) (HDAEAEAI), Onboarding, Offboarding & Employee Lifecycle Administration (BPACAHAL)

Keywords

• Education HR services
• Payroll administration
• Safer recruitment
• Academy trust support
• Workforce analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntingdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. HR Services: Comprehensive human resources services including HR Essentials, HR Advisory Support, HR Partner, HR Consultancy, and HR Connect. Revenue generated through subscription packages, per-engagement consultancy fees, and retainer arrangements.
2. Payroll & Pensions: Managed payroll processing and pensions administration services for schools and trusts. Charged as recurring service fees, typically as part of annual service agreements.
3. Finance Services: Strategic finance leadership, operational finance management, and project-based financial support. Revenue from consultancy engagements and retainer arrangements.
4. Training & Events: eLearning courses, live training sessions, and events including nEdEx conferences. Some content free for clients, paid training at £220+VAT per attendee.
5. DBS & Safer Recruitment: DBS application processing and safer recruitment compliance services for education sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EPM provides outsourced HR, payroll, pensions, finance, DBS, and safer recruitment services to UK schools, academies, Multi Academy Trusts, and Local Authorities. The company combines expert human advisors with the proprietary EPM Connect workforce data and analytics platform and an ePayslips Portal to deliver integrated education-sector support. Complementary offerings include leadership development, MAT growth planning, training/CPD, and the free nEdEx networking branch for education leaders.

Product overview

EPM (Education Protocol Management) is an education support services company offering a comprehensive suite of integrated services for schools, academies, Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), and local authorities. The portfolio centers on EPM Connect, an integrated workforce data and analytics platform, alongside the EPM Portal and EPM ePayslips Portal for online service delivery. Service offerings include HR Services (covering HR Essentials, HR Advisory, HR Partner, HR Consultancy, and HR Connect), Payroll & Pensions administration, Multi Academy Trust Development, Training/CPD & Events (including eLearning courses and live training), DBS & Safer Recruitment Services, Onboarding & Support, and Finance Services. EPM also operates nEdEx (Network for Education Excellence), a free networking branch for education leaders. The company serves over 2,500 schools and 200 trusts across the UK education sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• nEdEx: Network for Education Excellence - EPM's free networking branch for schools, academies and trusts, providing exclusive events, expert insights, and professional networking opportunities for education leaders.

Products and services

• HR Services Comprehensive outsourced HR support for UK schools, academies, and trusts, covering essentials, advisory, partner-level, consultancy, investigations, strategic HR, restructuring, and HR audits/training/compliance.
• Payroll & Pensions Managed payroll processing and pensions administration tailored to UK schools, academies, and trusts, with draft payslip review and dedicated account management.
• Multi Academy Trust Development Services supporting MAT growth including education strategy, structural development, leadership and governance support, and school and trust growth planning.
• Training, CPD & Events Expert-led eLearning courses, live training sessions, and sector update events covering HR, policy, pay, safeguarding, safer recruitment, and compliance topics for education sector clients.
• DBS & Safer Recruitment Services Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, safer recruitment training, and safer recruitment audits supporting compliance for UK schools and trusts.
• Onboarding & Support Onboarding services and ongoing support for newly joining staff in educational settings.
• Finance Services Outsourced finance support including strategic finance leadership, operational finance management, and project-based financial support for UK schools and trusts.
• EPM Connect Proprietary integrated workforce data and analytics platform providing UK schools and trusts with workforce insights, absence tracking, turnover analysis, and staffing capacity data to support informed workforce planning decisions.
• EPM Portal Online services portal that records and manages data relating to human resources, payroll, and pensions for and on behalf of customers and their staff.
• EPM ePayslips Portal Online portal for electronic payslip delivery and management for education staff.
• nEdEx (Network for Education Excellence) Free leadership network for schools, academies and trusts hosting exclusive roundtables, national education conferences, and leadership events bringing together education leaders.

Quantifiable outcome

• EPM conducted 50+ HR investigations on behalf of schools and trusts in the past year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BloomcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is an accredited supplier on the Bloom procurement framework, enabling compliant purchasing routes for education sector clients through this public sector procurement framework.
• Crescent Purchasing ConsortiumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is an approved supplier on the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) framework, providing education sector clients with compliant access to EPM's HR, payroll, and consultancy services through this purchasing consortium.
• Everything ICTminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is listed as an approved supplier available through the Everything ICT framework, providing education technology and services procurement options.
• CSTminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is an approved supplier on the CST (Commercial Services Team) framework for education sector procurement.
• Everything FMminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is available through the Everything FM framework for facilities management and related services procurement in education.
• 2buy2minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is an approved supplier on the 2buy2 procurement framework, providing another compliant purchasing route for education sector organisations.
• Church MarketplaceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEPM is listed on the Church Marketplace framework, serving church schools and faith-based education settings with HR and payroll services.
• nEdEx (Network for Education Excellence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnernEdEx is EPM's free leadership network for schools, academies and trusts, bringing together education leaders through exclusive events, expert insights, and networking opportunities. Hosts the National Education Leaders Conference with 25+ speakers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MHR: UK provider of HR and payroll software (iTrent) and outsourced services to mid-market and public sector organisations including education. Overlaps with EPM on HR/payroll technology and services, but serves multiple verticals beyond education.
• Tribal Group: UK-headquartered education software and services company serving schools, colleges, and universities with student information, HR, and payroll systems. Comparable in target market but with a broader portfolio and longer enterprise software heritage than EPM.
• IRIS Software Group: UK provider of payroll, HR, and accountancy software with significant presence in the education sector. Comparable to EPM on payroll/HR technology stack and education vertical but much larger and more diversified across industries.
• Capita (Education Services): Large UK business process outsourcer with a dedicated Education division offering HR, payroll, and software services to schools and MATs. Comparable to EPM on services offered, but operates across multiple sectors at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Juniper Education: UK education support services firm offering HR, payroll, and business management solutions to schools and MATs. Directly comparable to EPM's vertical focus, service portfolio, and target buyer (school business managers and trust leaders).
• Strictly Education: UK-based HR, payroll, and governance services provider dedicated to schools, academies, and MATs. Closely comparable to EPM in customer base (UK education), core services (HR, payroll, safer recruitment), and vertical specialisation.
• Edvolve (SchoolPro HR): Provider of HR, payroll, and people-management services to UK schools, academies, and MATs. Competes head-to-head with EPM on bundled HR/payroll outsourcing for the same education buyer.

Regional players

• People Asset Management (PAM): UK HR services and PEO-style provider offering payroll, benefits, and HR support to UK employers. Comparable in service model and HR outsourcing approach, but serves broader commercial clients rather than specialising in education.

Others

• RM plc (RM Education): UK-headquartered supplier of technology, IT services, and resources to schools and MATs. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but serves the same UK education procurement channels and may bundle HR-adjacent services over time.

Emerging players

• Cornerstone Business Solutions: Smaller UK firm providing HR, payroll, and training support to schools and MATs. Partial overlap with EPM on services and target market, but smaller scale and narrower geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epm-education
• Xx.com/education_epm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EPM