Free UK Payslip Guides
Plain-English explanations of everything on your payslip: from tax codes and PAYE to pension deductions and student loans. All updated for the 2026/27 tax year.
Quick answers: P45 vs P60 · Can I opt out of my workplace pension? · How do I check my payslip is correct?
Army Pay Scales 2026/27: Other Ranks, Officers, X-Factor
How British Army pay works in 2026/27 - Other Ranks Private to WO1, Officers 2Lt to Colonel, the 14.5% X-factor, Pay Spine, specialist supplements.
NHS Pay Bands 2026/27: Agenda for Change Salaries Explained
Full NHS Agenda for Change pay scales for 2026/27 — every band 2 to 9, London weighting, the NHS pension, and a worked Band 5 nurse payslip example.
Police Pay Scales 2026/27: Constable to Superintendent
A guide to UK police pay scales using the latest published figures: constable to superintendent, London weighting, unsocial hours and pension deductions.
Royal Navy Pay 2026/27: Ratings, Officers, X-Factor
How Royal Navy pay works in 2026/27 - Able Rating to Warrant Officer 1, Midshipman to Captain RN, the 14.5% X-factor, submarine pay, sea allowances.
Teacher Pay Scales 2026/27: England Salary & Payslip Guide
Verified England teacher pay scales for 2025/26 (M1–M6, UPS, leadership, TLR), London weighting, the Teachers Pension Scheme and a worked payslip example.
AFPS 75 vs AFPS 05 vs AFPS 15 Comparison 2026/27
A side-by-side comparison of all three Armed Forces Pension Schemes - AFPS 75 final salary, AFPS 05 final salary closed, AFPS 15 CARE - covering accrual.
Apprenticeship Pay UK 2026: Minimum Wage, Hours, Off-the-Job
UK apprenticeship pay 2026 - £7.55 apprentice minimum wage, age-band uplift, 20% off-the-job rule, NI category H, training and travel pay rights.
Armed Forces Pension AFPS 15 UK 2026/27: Tiers, EDP
UK Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 (AFPS 15) - non-contributory CARE accrual 1/47, EDP at 20 years service, resettlement grants, McCloud remedy.
Armed Forces Pension Annual Allowance 2026/27
How the £60,000 Annual Allowance affects Armed Forces Senior Officers in 2026/27 - Pension Input Amount calculation, Scheme Pays, carry forward.
Attachment of Earnings Orders UK 2026: AEO, DEO
UK Attachment of Earnings Orders (AEO) explained - court fines, council tax, child maintenance (DEO), CCJ deductions, employer obligations, how to challenge.
AVC Additional Voluntary Contributions UK 2026/27
UK Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) explained 2026/27 - Shared Cost AVC, tax relief, retirement strategy, when AVC beats SIPP, employer-arranged AVC.
UK Basis Period Reform 2026/27
UK basis period reform 2026/27 - fully transitioned to tax year basis, what changed for sole traders + partners, transitional spreading rules, overlap relief.
BR vs 0T Tax Code: Which Should You Be On? UK 2026/27
BR vs 0T UK tax codes compared side-by-side. When each applies, how much tax is deducted, common errors, and how to switch to a cumulative code.
CIS Subcontractor Reconciliation UK 2026/27
UK CIS subcontractor annual reconciliation - how to recover the 20% (or 30%) deduction via Self Assessment, what records to keep, common refund triggers.
Civil Service Alpha Pension UK 2026/27: Tiers, AA, McCloud
UK Civil Service Alpha Pension 2026/27 - tiered contributions 4.6% to 8.05%, CARE accrual 2.32%, McCloud remedy, partial retirement, opt-out math.
Clinical Excellence Awards 2026/27: Local CEA, National CEA
How NHS Clinical Excellence Awards work in 2026/27 - Local CEAs, National CEAs (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum), application, pensionable treatment.
Crypto Income on UK Payslip 2026: Tax, Reporting
UK crypto income tax 2026 - when it appears on payslip, mining vs trading vs receiving as wages, capital gains vs income tax treatment.
Director NI UK 2026/27: Annual Basis, Salary Strategy
UK company director NI explained - annual basis vs alternative, optimal salary £12,570 strategy, dividend interaction, Class 1A on benefits.
UK Dividend Tax 2026/27: Allowance
How UK dividend tax works in 2026/27 - £500 allowance, 8.75% basic rate, 33.75% higher rate, 39.35% additional rate, Self Assessment vs PAYE collection.
Employer PAYE Reference Numbers Explained
UK employer PAYE reference numbers explained - Employer PAYE Ref, Office Number, Accounts Office Reference, Employee Number, Works Number, NI number.
Expat UK Tax 2026/27: Resident, Non-Dom Abolition
UK expat tax 2026/27 - Statutory Residence Test, non-dom regime abolition, FIG (Foreign Income and Gains) regime, double tax treaties.
Firefighters Pension Scheme 2015 UK 2026/27: Tiers, CARE
UK Firefighters Pension Scheme 2015 (FPS) - tiered contributions 11% to 17%, CARE accrual 1/59.7, McCloud remedy, retirement age 60, RDS arrangements.
Foreign Income on UK Payslip 2026/27
How UK PAYE handles foreign income - UK-resident vs non-domiciled, double taxation treaties, Self Assessment requirements, common situations.
UK Gender Pay Gap Reporting 2026: Rules, Calculation
UK gender pay gap reporting 2026 - 250+ employee threshold, mean/median calculations, snapshot date, narrative requirements, what the figures mean for you.
High Income Child Benefit Charge 2026/27: Thresholds, Tapers
A complete guide to the High Income Child Benefit Charge in 2026/27 - £60,000 threshold, taper to £80,000, household earnings test.
Higher Education Pay Spine 2026/27: JNCHES, Single Spine
How the UK higher education pay spine works in 2026/27 - the JNCHES negotiated single pay spine, grade structure, London weighting.
HMRC R40 Form 2026/27: Reclaim Tax on Savings Interest
UK HMRC R40 form explained - reclaim overpaid tax on bank interest, dividends, gilts. Eligibility, deadlines, online + paper filing, what to expect.
HMRC Time to Pay Arrangement UK 2026
How to set up an HMRC Time to Pay arrangement. Eligibility, online vs phone routes, instalment limits, interest rate, what happens if you miss.
IR35 / Off-Payroll Working UK 2026/27: Inside vs Outside
UK IR35 / off-payroll working 2026/27 - inside vs outside IR35, CEST tool, who decides, financial impact for contractors and the new compliance regime.
Junior Doctor Pay Scales 2026/27: All 5 Nodal Points
Resident (junior) doctor pay for 2026/27: the full nodal point table from £36,616 at F1, plus rostered hours, weekend allowance and on-call supplement.
Local Government Pension Scheme LGPS UK 2026/27: Tiers
UK Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) 2026/27 - tiered contributions 5.5% to 12.5%, CARE accrual 1/49, Rule of 85, AVC top-ups, McCloud remedy.
McCloud Remedy Deep-Dive 2026/27: The Choice Window, RSS
A complete walkthrough of the McCloud remedy - Remediable Service Statements, the choice between legacy and reformed scheme periods, deferred choice underpin.
NHS Consultant Pay 2026/27: PAs, CEAs
How NHS Consultant pay is built - 10 PA basic, additional PAs, on-call supplement, Clinical Excellence Awards, private practice and the £100k Personal.
NHS Pension Scheme Explained UK 2026/27: Tiers
NHS Pension Scheme 2026/27 explained - contribution tiers 5.2% to 14.5%, 2015 CARE structure, Annual Allowance charge, McCloud remedy, opt-out trade-offs.
UK NI Class 2, 3, 4 Quick Reference 2026/27
UK National Insurance Class 2 (voluntary self-employed), Class 3 (voluntary general), Class 4 (compulsory self-employed) - rates, thresholds.
P11D BIK Valuation Rules UK 2026/27: Cars, Medical, Loans
How HMRC values benefits in kind on your UK P11D for 2026/27 - company cars, private medical, beneficial loans, accommodation, vouchers, expenses.
P2 Coding Notice Explained UK 2026/27
UK P2 PAYE Coding Notice explained line-by-line. How HMRC calculates your tax code, what each adjustment means, how to challenge errors.
P800 Letter Explained UK 2026: Refunds and Timing
UK P800 tax calculation letter explained - what it is, when it arrives, how to claim a refund, what to do if you owe HMRC, common errors.
P85 Form: Tax When Leaving the UK 2026 - Refunds & Residence
UK P85 form explained - claim tax refund when leaving the UK, split-year treatment, what HMRC needs, what happens to your tax code afterwards.
P85 vs Self Assessment When Leaving the UK 2026
P85 vs Self Assessment when leaving the UK - which form to file, when to file both, mid-year departure mechanics, ongoing UK income reporting.
10 UK Payslip Myths Debunked 2026/27
10 common UK payslip myths debunked - bonus tax 50%, salary sacrifice traps, pension free money, NI thresholds, and what the rules actually say in 2026/27.
Reconcile Your Payslips Against Your P60: UK 2026/27 Guide
Step-by-step UK guide to checking your P60 against the previous 12 monthly payslips. Catch underpaid tax, missing pension, wrong NI category before HMRC does.
Pension Annual Allowance £60,000 UK 2026/27: Taper
UK pension Annual Allowance 2026/27 - £60,000 standard, taper from £260k income, MPAA £10k after access, carry-forward rules, charge calculation.
HMRC Personal Tax Account Walkthrough UK 2026: Sign-Up & Use
Step-by-step UK Personal Tax Account walkthrough: sign-up, identity verification, and what you can do once you are in, from refunds to code corrections.
Police Pension Scheme 2015 UK 2026/27: CARE, Tiers
UK Police Pension Scheme 2015 explained - tiered contributions 12.44% to 14.34%, CARE accrual 1/55.3, McCloud remedy, commutation rights and ill-health.
RAF Pay Scales 2026/27: Full Rates Tables by Rank
Full RAF pay scale tables for 2026/27: Other Ranks and Officer rates, the 14.5% X-factor and flying pay, with AFPRB sources.
UK Redundancy Notice Pay 2026: Statutory Notice, PILON
UK redundancy notice pay 2026 - statutory minimum notice, contractual notice, PILON, garden leave, tax treatment, and how it shows on your final payslip.
Salary Sacrifice Cap Rules UK 2026/27: What's Allowed
UK salary sacrifice rules 2026/27 - pension cap, cycle to work, Optional Remuneration Arrangements (OpRA), and which schemes still save tax and NI.
Salary Sacrifice UK 2026/27: Pension, EV, Cycle
How UK salary sacrifice works for pension, EV cars, cycle-to-work, childcare. Tax + NI savings worked examples, mortgage impact, when to avoid.
Salary Sacrifice and UK Mortgage Applications 2026: Pause
How UK lenders treat salary sacrifice on mortgage applications - gross vs post-sacrifice income, lender-by-lender approach.
Personal Savings Allowance 2026/27
The UK Personal Savings Allowance for 2026/27 - £1,000 for basic-rate taxpayers, £500 for higher-rate, zero for additional-rate.
Your First UK Payslip 2026/27: A Guide for 16-21 Year Olds
First UK payslip explained for school leavers and apprentices - tax codes, NI, apprentice rate, what each line means, common errors to flag.
Scottish Income Tax Bands 2026/27
The complete Scottish income tax bands for 2026/27 - Starter, Basic, Intermediate, Higher, Advanced, and Top rates.
Scottish Tax Codes S Prefix Explained UK 2026/27
UK Scottish tax codes (S1257L, SBR, SD0, SD1, SD2, SD3) explained - Scottish income tax bands, when codes get applied, common errors.
Self Assessment Registration UK 2026
How to register for UK Self Assessment for the first time. UTR, Government Gateway, deadlines, what supplements you need, common mistakes.
Self-Employed NI UK 2026/27: Class 2 and Class 4 Rates
UK self-employed National Insurance - Class 2 voluntary, Class 4 8% / 2% rates, Self Assessment payment, when to top up State Pension. 2026/27 guide.
Your First UK Self-Employed Invoice 2026
How to write your first UK self-employed invoice - required fields, VAT considerations, payment terms, late-payment rights, free template.
Service Personnel Tax Reliefs 2026/27: LSA
A complete guide to the tax reliefs available to UK Armed Forces personnel - Operational Allowance tax-free, LSA, GYH Travel, EFE concession.
State Pension Voluntary Top-Ups UK: Class 3 NI Worth £6,500+
How to top up missing UK State Pension years via Class 3 voluntary NI. £907 to fix one year that pays back £6,500+ over retirement. 2025 deadline.
Statutory Adoption Pay UK 2026/27: Eligibility, Rate
UK Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) 2026/27 - eligibility, weekly rate, 39-week pay + 13-week unpaid, surrogacy and overseas adoption rules.
Statutory Paternity Pay UK 2026/27: Eligibility, Amount
UK Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) 2026/27 - eligibility, weekly amount, 2-week entitlement, Bereaved Parent rules, and how it shows on your payslip.
Tax Code 0T Explained UK 2026/27
UK tax code 0T explained - meaning, when HMRC uses it, why it's probably wrong, and how to get the right code applied. 2026/27 worked examples.
Tax Code K Explained UK 2026/27
UK K tax code (K475, K325 etc) explained - negative allowance, BIK trigger, prior-year underpayment recovery, 50% cap, how to challenge.
Tax Code M and N Explained: Marriage Allowance UK 2026/27
UK tax codes M and N explained - Marriage Allowance receiver vs giver, the £252 saving, eligibility, how to spot on your payslip, what to do if wrong.
Tax-Efficient Redundancy Planning UK 2026
How to maximise UK redundancy take-home - pension salary sacrifice from PILON, Section 401 vs PENP planning, settlement-agreement structuring, AA management.
Tax Refund From HMRC: How Long Does It Take? 2026/27
A complete guide to tax refund timing in the UK 2026/27 - P800 letter, P87 claim, online vs paper, bank vs cheque, and what happens after HMRC issues your.
How Long a UK Tax Refund Takes: Week-by-Week 2026/27
What happens each week after you claim a UK tax refund, from the 5-10 working day online payout to the 60-day cheque route. P87, PTA and Self Assessment.
Teachers Pension Scheme UK 2026/27: Tiers, CARE
UK Teachers Pension Scheme 2026/27 - tiered contributions 7.4% to 11.7%, 2015 CARE accrual, McCloud remedy, phased and flexible retirement options.
Universal Credit and Your Payslip UK 2026: Taper Rate, RTI
How UK Universal Credit interacts with your payslip - RTI feed, 55% taper rate, work allowance, monthly assessment period, common reporting errors.
Universal Credit for Self-Employed UK 2026
How Universal Credit treats self-employed UK earners - Minimum Income Floor, monthly profit reporting, allowable expenses, what counts as self-employment.
USS Pension Explained 2026/27: DB Threshold
How the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) works in 2026/27 - 6.1% employee, 14.5% employer, defined benefit up to the £40,000 threshold.
Unpaid Wages UK 2026: Step-by-Step Claim Process
How to claim unpaid wages in the UK 2026 - internal grievance, Acas early conciliation, employment tribunal, time limits, and small-claims route.
Welsh Tax Codes C Prefix Explained UK 2026/27
UK Welsh tax codes (C1257L, CBR, C0T, CK475) explained - when applied, how Welsh rates currently mirror rest-of-UK, future divergence risk.
X-Factor Pay Deep Dive 2026/27
A complete walkthrough of the Armed Forces X-factor - what it covers, why it exists, how it interacts with tax and pension, who is exempt.
Zero-Hours Contract Rights UK 2026: Pay, Tax
UK zero-hours contract rights 2026 - guaranteed-hours request, NMW, holiday pay, NI, statutory pay, exclusivity ban, Employment Rights Bill changes.
CIS Tax Refund: How UK Subcontractors Claim It Back
How UK CIS subcontractors recover overpaid PAYE tax. Step-by-step Self Assessment, materials offset, expenses, and when an accountant is worth it. 2026/27.
Company Car Tax UK 2026/27: BIK Rates, EV Advantage
UK company car tax explained for 2026/27 - BIK percentages by CO2 emissions, EV 3% rate, list price interaction, employee vs employer cost.
UK Employee Tax Relief on Expenses: Complete 2026/27 Summary
Every UK employee tax relief on a single page - uniform, mileage, working from home, professional fees, tools, training. Eligibility, amounts, P87 route.
Holiday Pay Calculation UK: The 52-Week Average Rule
How UK holiday pay is calculated under the post-2024 average-earnings rule. Includes overtime, commission, allowances.
Jury Service Pay UK 2026/27: Loss of Earnings Allowance
How UK jury service is paid - Loss of Earnings allowance, employer duties, top-up pay, tax treatment, claim form 5223 walkthrough.
London Weighting Tax Treatment UK: Inner
How UK London weighting allowance is taxed - civil service, NHS, teachers, police, transport. Inner/outer/fringe rates, NI treatment, pension impact.
Marriage Allowance Claim UK: Step-by-Step £252/Year Refund
How to claim the UK Marriage Allowance (£252/year) - eligibility, backdate to 2022/23, free HMRC route, no refund firm commission needed.
Mileage Tax Rebate UK: Claim Mileage Allowance Relief
How to claim Mileage Allowance Relief from HMRC if your employer pays less than 45p/mile. Free P87 walkthrough, backdate 4 years, no refund firm needed.
Missing Overtime on Your Payslip? UK Employee Recovery Guide
Overtime missing from your UK payslip - what to check, what to ask payroll, and the email template that gets it fixed in one cycle. 2026/27 guide.
Mortgage Payslip Checklist UK 2026
Exactly what UK mortgage lenders look for on a payslip - gross pay, deductions, employer name, YTD figures, bonus treatment. 5-point pre-application check.
National Minimum Wage UK 2026/27: New Rates from April 2026
UK National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates from 1 April 2026 - adult, 18-20, under-18, apprentice. How to spot underpayment on your payslip.
P11D Explained UK: Benefits in Kind, Tax Code Impact
Your UK P11D explained - what benefits in kind appear, how they affect your tax code, the K-code trigger, deadlines, and what to check.
Redundancy Pay Tax UK 2026/27: The £30,000 Threshold
How UK redundancy pay is taxed - £30,000 tax-free threshold, statutory minimums, Class 1 NIC treatment, payment in lieu of notice (PILON), holiday pay.
Sleep-In Shift Pay UK: Care Worker Rights, NMW & 2024 Rules
How UK sleep-in shift pay works for care workers. Mencap Supreme Court ruling, National Minimum Wage exclusion, what your contract should include.
Student Loan Plan 5 Explained: Rules for Post-2023 Grads
UK Student Loan Plan 5 - the new repayment plan for English/Welsh students starting 2023+. £25,000 threshold, 9% rate, 40-year write-off, what to check.
Tax-Free Childcare vs Childcare Vouchers UK 2026
UK Tax-Free Childcare vs legacy Childcare Vouchers - eligibility, savings comparison, salary sacrifice impact, when to switch. Worked examples for 2026/27.
Tronc and Tips Tax UK 2026: Pay After the Tipping Act
How UK tronc and tips are taxed and distributed under the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023. Income tax, NI exemption, troncmaster role.
Uniform Tax Rebate UK: Claim £60-£240 Free from HMRC
How to claim the UK uniform tax rebate (flat-rate expense allowance) directly from HMRC. Eligibility, amounts, P87 walkthrough. Backdate up to 4 years.
Working From Home Tax Relief UK 2026/27
Working-from-home tax relief explained for UK employees in 2026/27. Eligibility post-pandemic, £6/week flat rate, P87 walkthrough, evidence required.
Maternity, Paternity and Shared Parental Pay on Your Payslip
How SMP, OMP, SPP, ShPP and KIT day pay appear on a UK payslip in 2026/27. Spot underpayments, understand tax treatment, and check your figures line by line.
How HMRC Uses Your Payroll Data: RTI Explained
Real Time Information (RTI), Full Payment Submissions, dynamic coding and why your tax code can suddenly change mid-year. Plain English UK guide for 2026/27.
Payslip Checklist Before You Quit
Twelve payroll checks to make before you hand in your notice in the UK: final pay, holiday accrual, pension, P45 timing and outstanding expenses.
Expense Reimbursements vs Taxable Benefits
Mileage at 45p/25p, the £6 a week working-from-home allowance, BIK, P11D entries and what should never appear in your taxable pay. Updated for 2026/27.
Statutory Sick Pay Explained: 2026/27 Rate
How SSP works in the UK in 2026/27. Rate, qualifying days, how it appears on a payslip, when it stops, and what happens at the Universal Credit handover.
Why Your Bonus Was Taxed at 50% and How to Get It Back
The real reason your UK bonus payslip looks like 50% has been deducted - cumulative PAYE, marginal tax rates, and how the rebate evens out by year-end.
Pension Contributions on Your Payslip: UK 2026/27
How DC and DB pensions appear on a UK payslip, the difference between salary sacrifice, net pay and relief at source, AVCs.
UK vs Ireland Payslip Differences: PAYE, NI
A side-by-side comparison of UK and Irish payslips: PAYE against PAYE, National Insurance against PRSI and USC, tax codes against tax credits.
Payroll Error Recovery Letter Template (UK, 2026)
Step-by-step guide to chasing payroll errors with your UK employer, including a copy-paste letter template and the ACAS escalation route if it is not fixed.
Side Hustle Tax UK 2026: A Second Income and Your Pay
Running a side hustle alongside PAYE in 2026/27: when you must tell HMRC, how a second income changes your tax code, and what lands on your payslip.
YTD on Your Payslip: What It Means and Why It Matters
Understand what YTD means on your UK payslip, how year-to-date figures are calculated, and how to use them to check your tax and NI.
Wrong Tax Code? What to Do and How to Get It Fixed
Think your tax code is wrong? Learn how to check, what causes errors, and the steps to get HMRC to correct it and refund any overpaid tax.
Workplace Pension and Auto-Enrolment: Your Payslip Guide
Understand how workplace pensions and auto-enrolment work on your UK payslip. Contribution rates, qualifying earnings, and how to check your deduction.
Why Is My Tax So High This Month? Common UK Reasons
Find out why your tax deduction is higher than usual this month. We cover the most common UK reasons and what you can do about it.
Tax Refund from Your Payslip: How It Works in the UK
Learn how tax refunds appear on your UK payslip, when you might be owed one, and how to claim overpaid tax from HMRC.
Student Loan Plan 2 Deduction: Thresholds and Payslip Guide
Understand how Plan 2 student loan repayments are calculated on your payslip, current thresholds, and how to check the deduction is correct.
Scottish Income Tax on Your Payslip: Rates, Bands
Understand how Scottish income tax works on your payslip, the current rates and bands, and how to check your S-prefix tax code is correct.
Payslip vs P60 vs P45: What Each Document Tells You
Understand the difference between a payslip, P60, and P45. Learn what each document contains, when you receive it, and why it matters.
NI Category Letters Explained: What Yours Means
Understand the NI category letters on your UK payslip. Learn what categories A, B, C, H, M, and others mean for your National Insurance contributions.
Overtime Pay on Your Payslip: How It Is Taxed in the UK
Understand how overtime pay appears on your UK payslip, how it is taxed, and how to check the figures are correct. Includes worked example.
Gross vs Net Pay: What the Difference Means on Your Payslip
Understand the difference between gross and net pay on your UK payslip. Worked examples, deduction breakdown, and how to check your figures.
National Insurance Explained: Rates, Thresholds
Understand how National Insurance works in the UK, current rates and thresholds, and how to check the NI deduction on your payslip.
How Bonuses Are Taxed in the UK: Payslip Guide
Understand how your bonus is taxed on your UK payslip. Learn why the deduction looks high, how cumulative tax works, and whether you will get any back.
PAYE on Your Payslip: What It Means and How It Works
Learn what PAYE means on your payslip, how it is calculated, and why the amount changes. Clear UK guide with worked example and FAQ.
Agency Worker Payslip Guide: Deductions, Rights, and Checks
Understand your payslip as a UK agency worker. Learn about your deductions, holiday pay, the 12-week rule, and how to check your figures.
Emergency Tax Codes UK: Why You Pay More and How to Fix It
Understand UK emergency tax codes like 1257L W1 and 1257L M1. Learn why they are applied, how they affect your pay, and how to get a refund.
How to Read a UK Payslip: Every Section Explained
Learn how to read a UK payslip step by step. We explain every section, from gross pay to deductions, so you can check your pay is correct.