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To read a payslip, first check the pay period and gross pay, then match each earnings item and deduction to your records. Gross pay is before deductions; net pay is what remains and should reconcile with the amount paid to your account. In the UK, payslip formats and labels vary by employer, so focus on what each figure represents rather than expecting a standard layout. The guidance and figures below are UK-specific; workers elsewhere should check their local rules.
Start with the pay period, gross pay and net pay
Check the dates covered by the payslip and the payday it relates to. UK employers must provide a payslip on or before payday. The pay period matters because it tells you which hours, commission, bonus or other earnings to compare with your records. A payslip for one period may not include work or a payment that falls into another payroll run.
- Gross pay is earnings before deductions. It may combine basic salary or wages with overtime, commission, a bonus or other variable items.
- Deductions are amounts taken from pay for tax, National Insurance and other applicable purposes.
- Net pay is the amount left after deductions. Compare it with the payment credited to your bank account, allowing for any separate or delayed payment arrangement your employer has explained.
Labels and the order of items differ across employers. A payslip can also serve as evidence of earnings, tax paid and pension contributions, so keep it with your employment and tax records.
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There is no single visual template, but a payslip normally gives enough information to identify the employee, employer, pay period and amounts paid. Look for your name, the employer’s name, the date or period covered, gross pay, deductions and net pay. It may also show a tax code, National Insurance category or number, payment method, hourly rate, hours, year-to-date totals and pension information. Some employers use separate columns for this pay period and cumulative totals.
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Do not assume that an omitted label means an amount was not considered. An employer may combine several earnings under one heading or display statutory deductions in a separate summary. If you cannot tell what a line means, ask for the payroll definition and calculation rather than trying to decode an abbreviation from the amount alone.
Check how gross pay was made up
Read the earnings section item by item rather than treating the gross figure as one unexplained total. Compare each item with the records and terms that govern it: a salary agreement, rota, timesheet, commission plan or bonus terms.
Basic salary or wages
For a fixed salary, check that the amount and pay period match your agreed salary and the employer’s payroll schedule. If you joined, left, took unpaid time away or changed hours during the period, ask payroll how that affected the amount. The payslip alone may not show the underlying calculation. A mid-month change can produce a partial-period amount even when the annual salary has not changed.
Hours-based pay and overtime
Where the amount of pay varies according to time worked, UK payslips must show the hours worked. Compare those hours with your approved timesheet, rota or other record, and check the rate and any overtime terms that apply. Check whether overtime is paid at the normal rate, an enhanced rate or under a separate approval rule. The statutory requirement to show variable hours is distinct from the hours calculation used for National Minimum Wage purposes; the payslip hours line is not, by itself, proof that every pay or minimum-wage calculation is correct.
If the hours differ, record the dates, shifts and approval evidence before contacting payroll. A correction may be processed in a later run, so ask whether the employer will issue an adjustment and when it will appear.
Commission and other variable earnings
Check the amount against the commission or incentive terms for the period, including any applicable targets, rate, qualifying event or payment timing. A commission may be calculated in one period and paid in another, depending on the employer’s arrangements. Some plans use the date a sale completes, an invoice is paid or a return period ends rather than the date you performed the work. If the figure differs from your own calculation, ask which period and rules payroll used rather than assuming the line is an error.
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Keep the version of the commission plan that applied when the work was done. Changes to targets, eligibility or payment dates should be checked against written terms and any notice from the employer.
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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) says employers must treat a cash bonus as earnings: add it to other earnings and deduct PAYE tax and Class 1 National Insurance through payroll. In HMRC’s words, “The bonus you’ve paid counts as earnings, so:” This rule concerns cash bonuses; it should not automatically be applied to every non-cash award, which may follow different rules.
A bonus is not necessarily taxed at a special flat rate simply because it is a bonus. Payroll adds it to earnings for the relevant calculation, and the effect on take-home pay depends on the person’s circumstances and the payroll period. You cannot work out an individual’s net bonus from the bonus amount alone. A bonus paid in a month with overtime, commission or another one-off payment can move more of that month’s pay into different payroll bands, while a later payroll correction can reverse or replace an earlier item.
Separate earnings from deductions
Gross pay is the starting point. It is not the amount you should expect to receive in your bank account. Earnings increase the gross figure; deductions reduce it. A reimbursement, benefit or adjustment can be displayed differently from salary, so ask payroll whether it is included in taxable pay and gross pay for the period.
When checking arithmetic, add the listed earnings first and compare the result with gross pay. Then add the listed deductions and compare their total with the difference between gross and net pay. Small rounding differences can occur, but a material gap should be explained. Do not subtract an employer-only cost that is shown for information from your employee net pay.
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Identify each deduction before judging the total
Common deductions have different purposes and rules. Look for a label and amount for each one; if a label is abbreviated or unfamiliar, ask payroll what it represents and how it was calculated.
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| Deduction | What to check |
|---|---|
| PAYE income tax | Check the tax code payroll used and whether your personal details and pay information are correct. A tax-code issue can change the amount withheld. |
| National Insurance | Check the National Insurance category used by payroll. The calculation depends on the category and the pay and tax year involved. |
| Student or postgraduate loan repayment | Check that payroll has the correct plan and compare the deduction with the applicable threshold and rate for that plan. |
| Employee pension contribution | Check the amount and workplace pension arrangement. Pension contributions can be handled differently in payroll; HMRC says they are normally taken after National Insurance and before tax, but check the arrangement with your workplace pension provider. |
| Other items, such as Payroll Giving or child maintenance | Ask what the item is, what authorizes it and which calculation or instruction applies to you. |
Do not mistake an employer pension contribution for money taken from your take-home pay. It is different from an employee pension contribution deducted from pay; use the payslip’s specific labels to tell which is shown. A workplace may show both contributions beside each other even though only the employee amount reduces net pay.
When is a deduction allowed?
For UK employees, a deduction should be identifiable and have an applicable basis. Common bases include a legal requirement, a written agreement or a term in the employment contract. Some deductions are made under a formal instruction, such as a court or maintenance arrangement. Ask which basis applies if the payslip does not make it clear.
There are exceptions to the normal protection against deductions reducing pay below the National Minimum Wage. That means a calculation that appears to take pay below the minimum does not, by itself, prove that the deduction is unlawful. Conversely, an employer cannot justify an unexplained item merely by calling it an adjustment. Keep the contract, written notices and any consent you gave, and seek appropriate employment advice if the explanation remains disputed.
Use the right year’s rates and the right loan plan
Thresholds and rates are date-sensitive. The following figures are official UK payroll figures stated for the periods indicated, not a substitute for checking the rules for the tax year on your payslip.
National Insurance example for 2026–27
HMRC’s current guidance states that, for most employees, Class 1 National Insurance is 8% on weekly pay from £242 to £967, then 2% above £967. The monthly equivalents are £1,048 to £4,189, then 2% above £4,189. These are 2026–27 tax-year figures for most employees; the rate applying to a particular payslip depends on the relevant pay period and circumstances, including the National Insurance category. Check HMRC’s current rates for the tax year in question.
Student and postgraduate loan thresholds
HMRC’s payroll deductions guidance, accessed 13 October 2026, gives these annual thresholds and deduction rates. They are plan-specific and can change, so verify the worker’s plan and the current rules rather than assuming all loan deductions use the same threshold.
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| Loan type | Annual threshold | Rate above threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | 9% |
| Plan 4 | £33,795 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% |
| Postgraduate loan | £21,000 | 6% |
These figures help identify whether a plan or threshold may be relevant; they do not establish whether a particular deduction is correct. Payroll applies rules to pay periods, and your plan and pay details matter. If you have more than one job or both a student and postgraduate loan, ask how payroll is applying the relevant instructions rather than adding rates yourself.
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A different net amount does not, on its own, identify the cause. Compare the payslip with the previous one in a fixed order so that a change in earnings is not confused with a change in deductions.
- Pay period: Confirm the dates and payday. Check whether the period is shorter, longer or otherwise different from the one you are comparing.
- Gross components: Compare basic pay, hours, overtime, commission and bonuses with the records and terms for that period. Look for an item that appeared, changed or was paid later than expected.
- Tax and National Insurance: Note the tax code and National Insurance category shown or used by payroll, and ask whether either changed. Tax and National Insurance depend on those details as well as the relevant pay.
- Loan repayment: Check the plan payroll has on record and the applicable threshold. A different plan can mean a different deduction.
- Pension and other deductions: Check whether the employee contribution or another authorized item changed. Distinguish employee contributions from employer-side pension contributions.
- Net payment: Compare the resulting net pay with the amount deposited and ask payroll about any difference between the payslip and payment.
Other explanations can include a one-off correction, a change from weekly to monthly timing, unpaid leave, a new benefit or an amended pension instruction. Compare the current and previous payslips line by line, not just the final net figure. This comparison identifies where to ask questions; it does not independently verify payroll’s full calculation. A large or unfamiliar deduction deserves an explanation, not a guess.
A practical payslip-checking routine
- Confirm identity and timing. Make sure the payslip is yours, the pay date is expected and the covered period matches the payroll calendar.
- Reconcile earnings. Add basic pay, hours-based pay, overtime, commission, bonuses and adjustments. Compare hours and rates with approved records.
- Review variable-pay rules. Check the relevant target, qualifying date, approval and payment timing in the written plan or contract.
- List deductions separately. Mark each as tax, National Insurance, loan, pension or another item. Do not treat an employer contribution as an employee deduction.
- Check identifiers. Compare the tax code, National Insurance category and loan plan with the details held by you and payroll.
- Reconcile net pay. Compare the net figure with your bank credit and note any separate payment or correction.
- Keep an audit trail. Save the payslip, source records, correspondence and any corrected statement.
What to do about an unexplained or disputed item
- Keep the relevant records together. Save the payslip and compare it with the pay period, timesheet or rota, commission or bonus terms, previous payslips and the amount received. Payslips are evidence of earnings, tax and pension contributions.
- Ask payroll for a line-by-line explanation. Name the item and period, and ask what information, rate, authorization or instruction produced it. For variable pay, ask how the hours or payment terms were applied.
- Check tax-code questions through official guidance. If you think tax is wrong, HMRC advises checking whether your tax code may be incorrect. Use GOV.UK’s tax-check guidance rather than trying to infer the correct code from one payslip.
- Verify loan details with your plan information. If the deduction is a student or postgraduate loan repayment, confirm the plan payroll has and compare it with current HMRC guidance.
- Review the basis for a non-tax deduction. UK guidance identifies legal requirements, written agreement and contractual authorization among possible grounds for deductions. Ask the employer to identify the basis and check your contract or written notice. There are exceptions to the normal protection against deductions reducing pay below the National Minimum Wage, so an apparent shortfall does not by itself settle whether a deduction is lawful.
- Escalate a dispute with the right documents. If payroll’s explanation does not resolve an unauthorized or disputed deduction, consult your contract and an appropriate employment advice service. Whether a deduction is lawful depends on the facts and circumstances; a payslip alone may not answer that question.
Keep year-to-date figures in view as well as the individual pay period, and compare them with your P60 where relevant. A single payslip can show a one-period change; running totals can help you spot a broader mismatch, but they do not replace checking the underlying calculation.
What a payslip can—and cannot—tell you
A payslip is a useful record of earnings, deductions and take-home pay, but its labels may not explain the rules or inputs behind each number. It may show that tax, National Insurance or a pension amount was deducted without establishing that payroll used the right personal details. Similarly, an hours line helps you compare variable hours, but it is not the full evidence needed to resolve every pay or minimum-wage question.
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Use the document as a starting point: match the period and gross components to your records, identify each deduction, then request the calculation or authority behind any unexplained item. The guidance and thresholds here are UK-specific; rates and rules can change, and no general example determines an individual’s net pay or the legality of a particular deduction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What should be on my payslip?
At minimum, look for your identity and employer, the pay period or date, gross pay, deductions and net pay. Many payslips also show tax code, National Insurance category, hours, rates, pension amounts and year-to-date totals. Layouts and labels vary, so ask payroll about any unexplained abbreviation.
Why did my take-home pay change when my salary did not?
Compare the pay period, hours and variable earnings first, then the tax code, National Insurance category, loan plan, pension contribution and other deductions. A bonus, overtime, unpaid time, correction or changed payroll instruction can alter net pay without changing basic salary.
Why was tax taken from my bonus?
A UK cash bonus counts as earnings. HMRC says employers add it to other earnings and deduct PAYE tax and Class 1 National Insurance through payroll. The amount withheld depends on the total pay and your circumstances; a bonus is not automatically taxed at one special flat rate.
Are employer pension contributions deducted from my pay?
No. An employer contribution is an employer-side payment and should not reduce your take-home pay. An employee pension contribution can be shown as a deduction. Check the exact labels and ask your workplace pension provider how the arrangement is operated.
What should I do if a deduction is unfamiliar?
Ask payroll what the item is, how it was calculated and what legal, written or contractual basis authorizes it. Compare the explanation with your contract or written notice. Keep the payslip and related records, and seek appropriate employment advice if the dispute remains unresolved.
Can I calculate my net bonus from the bonus amount alone?
No. Payroll adds a cash bonus to other earnings for the relevant pay period. Tax, National Insurance, pension, loan repayments and your tax code or category can all affect the result, so the bonus amount alone is not enough.
The Bottom Line
Read the payslip in order: confirm the period, reconcile gross earnings and variable hours, identify every deduction, then compare net pay with your bank payment. Cash bonuses go through UK payroll as earnings, while tax, National Insurance, loan and pension effects depend on the applicable rules and your details. Keep the payslip and source records, and ask payroll or HMRC when an item does not reconcile.
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