UK Payslips: employee rights
Your employer must provide you with a payslip.
They don’t have to do this if you’re:
- not an employee, eg a contractor, freelancer or ‘worker’
- in the police service
- a merchant seaman
- a master or crew member working in share fishing (paid by a share in the profits or gross earnings of a fishing vessel)
Employers can choose whether they provide printed or electronic (online) payslips.
Payslips must be provided on or before payday.
Payslips must be provided on or before payday.
What should be on your payslip
Your payslip must show:
Employers must also explain any deductions fixed in amount, eg repayment of a season ticket loan. They can choose to do this either on a payslip, or in a separate written statement.
This separate statement must be sent out before the first payslip. Employers must update this every year.
Read more about deductions that can be taken from your pay.
Your payslip must show:
- your earnings before and after any deductions
- the amount of any deductions that may change each time you’re paid, eg tax and National Insurance
Employers must also explain any deductions fixed in amount, eg repayment of a season ticket loan. They can choose to do this either on a payslip, or in a separate written statement.
This separate statement must be sent out before the first payslip. Employers must update this every year.
Read more about deductions that can be taken from your pay.
Being paid and payslips
An employee has the right to know how much they will be paid and how often. They are also entitled to receive an individual, detailed written pay statement from their employer, either when they are paid or shortly before.
When and how you should be paid
When you start work your employer should tell you:
the day or date when you'll be paid - for example, each Friday, or the last working day of the month
how you will be paid, for example, in cash, by cheque or directly to your bank
If you are an employee, you must be given a document which tells you how much you will be paid, and at what intervals, within two months of starting work. This is normally contained in your contract of employment.
Should you be given a payslip?
You do not have a right to receive a pay slip if you are:
not an employee, for example contractors, freelancers or 'workers'
a member of the police service
a merchant seaman, master or crew member working in share fishing and paid solely by a share in the profits or gross earnings of a fishing vessel
What your payslip must contain
Every pay statement must contain the following information:
amount of your wages before any deductions (gross wages)
individual amount of any fixed deductions (such as trade union subscriptions) or the total amount of these deductions if you are given a 'standing statement of fixed deductions' as detailed below
individual amount of any variable deductions (for example, tax)
net amount of your wages (this is the total after deductions)
amount and method for any part-payment of wage (such as separate figures of a cash payment and the balance credited to a bank account)
Your employer might include additional information on your payslip which they are not required to provide, such as:
National Insurance number
tax codes
pay rate (either annual or hourly)
additional payments like overtime, tips or bonuses, which might be shown separately
Standing statement of fixed deductions
If your employer does not set out any fixed deductions in your pay slip, they must give you a standing statement of fixed deductions.
The statement must:
be in writing
state the amount and intervals at which the deduction is made
contain the purpose or description of the deduction
be given to you before your first payslip with the fixed deductions
be updated at least every 12 months
If there are changes that affect your fixed deductions, your employer must give you written notice of the change or an amended statement.
Problem with your payslip
If you have a problem with your payslip, you should speak to your employer first to see if you can sort out the problem informally. If you have an employee representative or you are a member of a trade union you could ask for their help.
If this does not work, you might be able to make an application to an Industrial Tribunal.
If you didn't receive your full pay, you should check your payslip and contract of employment to see if they explain why you have not been fully paid.
The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) offers free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues for residents of Northern Ireland.
How to resolve a problem at work
Trade unions
Employment contracts and conditions
More useful links
Citizens Advice Northern Ireland
Jobs and Benefits Offices, JobCentres and Social Security Offices
Pay - an overview of obligations (nibusinessinfo.co.uk website)
An employee has the right to know how much they will be paid and how often. They are also entitled to receive an individual, detailed written pay statement from their employer, either when they are paid or shortly before.
When and how you should be paid
When you start work your employer should tell you:
the day or date when you'll be paid - for example, each Friday, or the last working day of the month
how you will be paid, for example, in cash, by cheque or directly to your bank
If you are an employee, you must be given a document which tells you how much you will be paid, and at what intervals, within two months of starting work. This is normally contained in your contract of employment.
Should you be given a payslip?
You do not have a right to receive a pay slip if you are:
not an employee, for example contractors, freelancers or 'workers'
a member of the police service
a merchant seaman, master or crew member working in share fishing and paid solely by a share in the profits or gross earnings of a fishing vessel
What your payslip must contain
Every pay statement must contain the following information:
amount of your wages before any deductions (gross wages)
individual amount of any fixed deductions (such as trade union subscriptions) or the total amount of these deductions if you are given a 'standing statement of fixed deductions' as detailed below
individual amount of any variable deductions (for example, tax)
net amount of your wages (this is the total after deductions)
amount and method for any part-payment of wage (such as separate figures of a cash payment and the balance credited to a bank account)
Your employer might include additional information on your payslip which they are not required to provide, such as:
National Insurance number
tax codes
pay rate (either annual or hourly)
additional payments like overtime, tips or bonuses, which might be shown separately
Standing statement of fixed deductions
If your employer does not set out any fixed deductions in your pay slip, they must give you a standing statement of fixed deductions.
The statement must:
be in writing
state the amount and intervals at which the deduction is made
contain the purpose or description of the deduction
be given to you before your first payslip with the fixed deductions
be updated at least every 12 months
If there are changes that affect your fixed deductions, your employer must give you written notice of the change or an amended statement.
Problem with your payslip
If you have a problem with your payslip, you should speak to your employer first to see if you can sort out the problem informally. If you have an employee representative or you are a member of a trade union you could ask for their help.
If this does not work, you might be able to make an application to an Industrial Tribunal.
If you didn't receive your full pay, you should check your payslip and contract of employment to see if they explain why you have not been fully paid.
The Labour Relations Agency (LRA) offers free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues for residents of Northern Ireland.
How to resolve a problem at work
Trade unions
Employment contracts and conditions
More useful links
Citizens Advice Northern Ireland
Jobs and Benefits Offices, JobCentres and Social Security Offices
Pay - an overview of obligations (nibusinessinfo.co.uk website)
1 comments:
This is a very well presented post, my compliments. It has a lot of key elements that truly makes it work. payslips