What should I do if I have been underpaid?

Why This Happens

Use this checklist to work through what might have happened. Check your payslip Look at your payslip for the period in question. Check: - Gross pay (the amount before deductions) - Tax and National Insurance - Pension and any other deductions - Net pay (the amount you actually receive) If it helps, compare this payslip with previous ones to see what has changed. Check the hours or days you were paid for Think about the hours, shifts or days you worked in this pay period. Compare your payslip with your rota, timesheets or clock-in records and any records you keep of hours worked. Ask yourself whether all your hours, overtime and extra shifts appear to have been included. Check your agreed rate of pay Look at your contract, offer letter or any written confirmation of your pay. Consider whether the hourly rate or salary on your payslip matches what you were expecting and whether any recent pay rise or change has been applied. Check for missing payments Think about whether you were expecting any extra payments, such as overtime, bonuses, commission, allowances (for example, shift allowance or travel allowance), holiday pay or other specific payments. If something appears to be missing, make a note of what you expected and why. Check deductions Look at each deduction on your payslip and ask whether you recognise what it is for, whether the amount is similar to previous months and whether a new deduction has appeared that you were not expecting. An unexpected or higher deduction can sometimes explain why your pay is lower. Keep a record Keep copies of relevant payslips, timesheets, rotas or clock-in records, any messages or emails about your hours or pay, and notes of any conversations about the issue. These records can help you explain the situation clearly and show what has happened over time. Think about how to raise the issue Once you have checked what you can, you may want to ask someone at work to look into it. Depending on your workplace, this might be your line manager or supervisor, the payroll team or HR. You could explain, in a calm and factual way, what you expected to be paid, what you were actually paid and what you have already checked, and then ask them to review the difference and let you know what they find.

In many workplaces, the process looks something like this: 1. You check your payslip and records You review your payslip, hours, pay rate and any expected payments or deductions. 2. You identify what seems different or missing You work out whether the issue appears to be about hours, rate of pay, a missing payment or a deduction. 3. You raise the issue with the appropriate person You contact your manager, payroll or HR and explain the difference you have found. 4. Your employer or payroll team checks the records They look at their records of your hours, pay rate, payments and deductions. 5. They explain the difference or confirm an error They may explain why your pay is lower than expected, or confirm that a mistake has been made. 6. If an error is confirmed, they correct it If there has been an error, your employer may correct it through the payroll system. This might be in your next pay run or, in some cases, through a separate payment. If the issue is not resolved, you may want to keep a record of what you have raised and any responses you have received, and check whether your workplace has a more formal process, such as a grievance procedure, for raising concerns about pay. Not every pay issue needs to become a formal complaint straight away. Understanding what has happened and giving your employer a chance to correct any mistake is often the first step.

This section outlines the typical progression of the issue. Whether it involves a formal consultation process, a review period, or a direct contract amendment, these details help prepare you for the upcoming stages.