Payslips: employee rights

Your employer must provide you with a payslip.

They do not have to do this if you’re:

  • not an employee or ‘worker’, for example a contractor or freelancer
  • 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)

Your payslips can be used as proof of your earnings, tax paid and any pension contributions.

Employers can choose whether they provide printed or electronic (online) payslips.

Payslips must be provided on or before payday.

What should be on your payslip

Your payslip must show:

  • your earnings before and after any deductions
  • the amount of any deductions that may change each time you’re paid, for example tax and National Insurance
  • the number of hours you worked, if your pay varies depending on time worked

Employers must also explain any deductions fixed in amount, for example 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.

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