Payment in cash

Sometimes employers say they want to pay you in cash. It may sound good at first as you get a bigger pay packet. But it is often illegal because it is a way around paying tax and National Insurance. 

If you are not paying National Insurance, you will not be able to claim some benefits which are dependent on National Insurance contributions. This will be a problem if you become ill and cannot work, or if you want to claim Maternity Allowance when you have a baby, claim bereavement benefits, or the State Retirement Pension when you reach pension age. 

If you are an employee or a worker, you have a right to get pay slips from your employer. This should show how your pay has been calculated and give you a breakdown of all deductions. Check if you are classed as an employee or worker. 

Make sure you are getting these slips and keep them somewhere safe. If you are sent them by email or access them via an internal work website or intranet, always download them to your own device or print them as soon as you can - just in case something happens at work, or you leave the job.

Pay slips are important if there is a problem in the future and they are a useful record of how much tax you have paid. Pay slips also provide proof of your income – as you may need evidence of your earnings for things like renting a flat or getting a mortgage. 

You are also entitled to a P60 form at the end of the tax year (which runs April-April). This is an official summary showing how much you have earned over the year and how much tax you have paid. You’re entitled to a separate P60 form for each of your jobs every tax year.

You are also legally entitled to a P45 when you finish a job. This shows your earnings and tax amounts paid during the latest tax year. You will need to give part of your P45 to your next employer. 

Find out more about P45, P60, P11D forms

Your employer must pay you the wages you are owed on time, on the day specified in your contract. 

If they haven’t paid you, or haven’t paid you the full amount they owe you, speak to them about it.

If that doesn’t sort it out, make a note of the date and time you had that conversation. And call the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100 (open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). Acas give impartial advice to employees, workers and employers.

If you are being paid less than other people at your work who are doing similar jobs, you might be a victim of unlawful discrimination. To check have a look at our information on Unfair treatment at work. But if others are paid more because they are genuinely more qualified or experienced, that's fair enough.

If your employer pays less than other employers for your type of work, you could try talking to your boss and explain to them that they pay less than the going rate, also known as the market rate. They might agree to give you a pay rise. If not, you might decide it would be wise to find a more generous employer. Get more advice from the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100.

I am being paid less than the national minimum wage. What should I do?

1. Double-check the current rates on the GOV.UK.
2. Speak to your manager.
3. If that doesn’t solve it call the Acas Helpline immediately.
4. Make a complaint to HMRC about your employer.
5. Keep a diary of all dates and times you were paid incorrectly.
6. You can also take it to the employment tribunal.
    

What is the current minimum wage?

The rates are updated every 1st April. From April 2026, the rates are:

What is the difference between minimum wage and living wage?

Most workers over the school leaving age are entitled to the minimum wage. The national living wage is only for those 21 or over. 

What deductions can my employer make from my pay?

Your employer can make deductions from your pay for National Insurance, tax and student loan repayments (if you are earning over the repayment threshold). If they have been asked by the court to make deductions to pay off a debt or pay child maintenance, they can do that. They can deduct money if they have previously overpaid you wages and expenses (they can only deduct the amount they have overpaid). They don’t have to pay you if you have been on strike.

Most other deductions require either that you agree to the deduction, or that your contract allows your employer to make the deduction. Check your contract. 

How soon should I get my pay slip?

You should get your payslip on or before payday.
  

The law is complicated. We recommend you try to get advice from the sources we have suggested if at all possible.

This guide was updated thanks to funding from the Ministry of Justice via the Online Support and Advice Grant.  

We would like to thank all those who provided advice and feedback on this guide and to editorial teams at Thomson Reuters who kindly peer reviewed theis updated version.