Am I Being Paid Correctly? UK Minimum Wage, Holiday & Deductions (2026)
The five things to check on your payslip to know if your employer is underpaying you — and how to claim any shortfall back.
Last reviewed 31 July 2026
- ✓From April 2026 the minimum is £12.71 (21+), £10.85 (18–20), £8.00 (under-18/apprentice).
- ✓Regular overtime must be included in holiday pay; rolled-up holiday pay is generally unlawful.
- ✓Deductions or unpaid time that drag you below the minimum wage are unlawful and reclaimable.
- ✓You can usually claim back up to two years of unlawful deductions; six years for minimum-wage arrears via HMRC.
Most underpayment is quiet — a slightly wrong rate, overtime left out of holiday pay, a deduction that shouldn't be there. Here are the five checks that catch nearly all of it.
The five checks
- —Your rate: is it at least the minimum for your age after any deductions? (April 2026: £12.71 / £10.85 / £8.00.)
- —Unpaid time: are you working through unpaid breaks, or before/after your shift? That time counts towards the minimum wage.
- —Overtime in holiday pay: if you regularly work overtime, it must be reflected in your holiday pay (Bear Scotland v Fulton).
- —Rolled-up holiday pay: holiday "included" in your hourly rate is generally unlawful — it should be paid when you take leave.
- —Deductions: charges for uniform, tools or training that take you below the minimum wage are unlawful.
Not sure how much paid holiday you're owed? Our free calculator works it out from the days you work.
Open the holiday entitlement calculatorHow to claim a shortfall
Raise it with your employer in writing first — this is expected before any formal step. If it isn't fixed, you can report a minimum-wage breach to HMRC, or start a claim through ACAS early conciliation and then the Employment Tribunal. Tribunal claims generally must be started within three months of the last underpayment, so don't sit on it.
The £9.99 Wage & Holiday Pay Audit checks your pay against every rule, estimates the shortfall, and gives you a ready-to-send letter.
Run the £9.99 wage audit