I don’t understand my payslip

As an employee, you have a legal right to a payslip. Make sure you get it either before the date you are paid, or before - if you don’t receive it, you should get in touch with your employer’s payroll department.

A payslip must, by law, contain the following details:

• Your ‘gross’ pay, which is the amount before tax is removed. 

• Your ‘net’ pay, which is the amount after tax is removed.

• Any deductions, and why they have been deducted. This might include income tax, trade union subscriptions, or payments to charity. 

• The overall amount of money payable to you after the above.

• How the money will be paid for you; for instance by cash, cheque or into your bank account. If it’s going straight into your account, it will be shown as a BACS (bank transfer) payment on the slip. 

Your employer might issue your payslip electronically instead of giving you a paper payslip. Please check with your employer whether they will issue your payslip online or as a paper copy.