Pay and wages

The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 created a minimum wage across the UK.

The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice and it changes every 1 April.

The real Living Wage is based on the cost of living and is voluntarily paid by employers.

Women expecting a baby who satisfy the qualifying conditions are entitled to a maximum of 39 weeks SMP.

When your wife, partner or civil partner gives birth or adopts a child, you may be entitled to Statutory Paternity Pay.

One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of SAP is to have average weekly earnings (before tax) of £123 or more (April 2024).

From April 2024 Statutory Shared Parental Pay will paid at £184.03 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings (AWE), whichever is lower.

Employers should indicate to their employees when and how they will receive their pay.

Employers are responsible for the payment of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for periods of illness of four days or more up to a total of 28 weeks' absence in any one period of incapacity for work.

A payment in lieu of notice is made in circumstances where an employee is not required to work their notice period but is paid a sum of money instead.

Employers are legally obliged to provide employees with an itemised pay statement. These are usually called payslips or wage slips.

Final pay given to an employee can be different from their regular pay.

Employers must pay their employees for statutory holidays (contractual holidays may differ) that have been built up but not taken at the time they leave their employment.