What the law says your payslip must show
Section 8 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 gives employees and workers the right to an itemised pay statement at or before the time you are paid. It can be on paper or electronic. It must show:
- your gross pay
- the amount of each variable deduction and what it's for (income tax, National Insurance, pension, student loan and so on)
- fixed deductions, either itemised or as a total backed by a separate "standing statement of fixed deductions" (which lasts 12 months)
- your net pay
- if net pay is split between payment methods, the amount and method of each part
- if your pay varies with the time you work, the hours you're paid for (since April 2019), either as one total or broken down by type of work or rate
Your tax code, NI category letter and year-to-date totals aren't on that list, but most payslips include them. If yours doesn't, you can see your tax code in HMRC's Check your Income Tax service or the HMRC app.
Who is covered
- Covered: employees and workers from their first payday, including zero-hours, casual and agency workers. Agency workers get payslips from the agency that pays them.
- Not covered: the genuinely self-employed (you invoice instead), and a few excluded groups including the armed forces, police officers, merchant seafarers and share fishermen.
- Northern Ireland has its own employment legislation with a similar payslip right. This guide covers England, Wales and Scotland.
Step 1: ask in writing
Most missing payslips are a payroll or portal problem. Send a short email to payroll or your manager. Being specific makes it easy to act on:
Hi [name], I haven't received a payslip for the pay date of [date] (pay period [dates]). Under section 8 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 I'm entitled to an itemised payslip on or before payday. Could you send it, or tell me where to find it online, by [date a few working days away]? Thanks, [name]
Keep a copy. If the problem is portal access, ask for a PDF or paper copy in the meantime. Acas says employers should provide another format if you can't access payslips online.
Step 2: check what you can see yourself
While you wait, compare the amount that reached your bank with what you expected using the take-home pay calculator. Then check your tax code in HMRC's Check your Income Tax service or the HMRC app. If the money in your account is short, that is a separate problem from the missing payslip (see the table below).
Step 3: raise a formal grievance
If a written request doesn't work, raise a formal grievance under your employer's procedure. Say which payslips are missing and that you're asking for them under section 8. Employers should follow the Acas Code of Practice on grievances. See our grievance procedure guide.
Step 4: Acas early conciliation
Before most employment tribunal claims you must notify Acas. Early conciliation is free. From 1 December 2025 the conciliation period is up to 12 weeks (previously 6). The tribunal time limit is extended to allow for it.
Step 5: employment tribunal reference
If the payslips still don't appear, you can refer the matter to an employment tribunal under section 11 of the Act:
- The tribunal decides what the payslip should have contained and must make a declaration that your employer failed to provide one or left out required details.
- Unnotified deductions: if the tribunal finds deductions were made that weren't shown on a payslip, it can order your employer to pay you up to the total of those deductions in the 13 weeks before your application. This applies even if the deductions themselves were lawful.
- Time limit: while you're still employed there's no time limit on a section 11 reference. Once employment has ended, you must normally apply within 3 months of the date it ended, extended for Acas early conciliation. The Employment Rights Act 2025 extends most tribunal time limits to 6 months where the relevant date is on or after 1 October 2026, so check the current position with Acas.
A tribunal can't use a section 11 reference to decide whether an amount on your payslip is accurate. If you're underpaid, that is an unauthorised deductions claim.
Missing payslip, missing pay, or both
| Situation | What it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Paid correctly, no payslip | Breach of section 8 | Steps 1 to 5 above |
| Payslip arrives after payday | Breach of section 8 each time | Raise it in writing; grievance if repeated |
| Payslip missing hours, deductions or a breakdown | Incomplete pay statement (section 8) | Ask for a corrected payslip; tribunal reference if refused |
| Pay short or late, with or without a payslip | Possible unauthorised deduction from wages | Raise it at once; Acas; a tribunal claim has its own time limit, usually 3 months from the deduction (6 months for most claims from 1 October 2026) |
| Pay below minimum wage | National Minimum Wage breach | You can also complain to HMRC, which enforces the minimum wage |
Protection if you complain
If you're an employee, dismissing you because you asserted a statutory right in good faith, such as asking for your payslip, is automatically unfair. No qualifying period of service is needed.
If you've left the job
- Ask for any missing payslips and your P45 in writing straight away.
- Keep bank statements showing what was paid and when.
- Remember the 3-month tribunal time limit from the date your employment ended (6 months for most claims where the relevant date is on or after 1 October 2026), extended by Acas early conciliation. Notify Acas early rather than late.
- Check your final pay included any unused holiday.
Keep your own records
Employers must keep records of hours worked and payments made for six years, but don't rely on that. Download or file each payslip as it arrives, along with your P60 each year. They are your evidence if something goes wrong, and you'll need them for mortgage applications.
In short
You're entitled to an itemised payslip on or before every payday, whether you're an employee or a worker. Ask in writing first, then raise a grievance. If neither works, notify Acas and refer the matter to a tribunal. While you're employed there's no deadline. After you leave, the limit is usually 3 months from the end of employment (6 months for most claims from 1 October 2026).