UK Payslip Glossary

Every term you might see on a UK payslip, explained in plain English. 97 entries, updated for the 2026/27 tax year.

To check whether the tax, NI and PAYE lines look right on your own slip, see How do I check my payslip is correct?.

S

Shared Parental Pay (ShPP)Statutory Pay: Statutory pay shared by parents after birth or adoption. Full definition
Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP)Statutory Pay: Adoption-leave statutory pay mirroring SMP structure. Full definition
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)Statutory Pay: 39 weeks of statutory pay during maternity leave. Full definition
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP)Statutory Pay: Up to 2 weeks of statutory pay during paternity leave. Full definition
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)Statutory Pay: Employer-paid sick pay of £123.25/week (or 80% of average weekly earnings if lower) for up to 28 weeks. Full definition