Do employers have to give payslips?
Yes. In the UK your employer must give you a payslip, on or before payday. It must show your earnings before and after deductions, the amount of any deductions that may change each time you are paid, such as tax and National Insurance, and the hours you worked if your pay varies with time worked. It can be printed or electronic.
What a payslip must show
GOV.UK lists what an employer’s payslip must include:
- Your earnings before and after any deductions.
- The amount of any deductions that may change each time you’re paid, for example tax and National Insurance.
- The number of hours you worked, if your pay varies depending on time worked.
When and how
Payslips must be provided on or before payday. GOV.UK says employers can choose whether to give printed or electronic (online) payslips.
Who isn’t covered
GOV.UK notes that some people do not have the right to a payslip, including contractors and freelancers, and certain groups such as police officers, merchant seamen and some fishing crew. If you are self-employed you invoice rather than receive a payslip.
This guide summarises GOV.UK. It is not legal advice about a particular employment.
For employers: keeping it simple
If you run payroll yourself — for example as a small business or when employing a nanny or carer — each payslip needs the figures from your payroll for that period. A payslip generator lays them out and does the totals; the amounts still come from your payroll.
Sources
Official sources checked 23 September 2026. This guide explains how pay documents work; it is not tax or legal advice.