First Job And Earning Uk

UK Zero-Hours Contract Rights and Pitfalls

UK zero-hours contracts have no guaranteed minimum hours. Section 27A ERA 1996 prohibits exclusivity clauses. Workers (most ZHC) have statutory rights including minimum wage and holiday. Predictable terms rights from 2024. This guide covers the framework.

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read

UK Tax Codes Explained Letter by Letter

UK tax codes combine numbers (allowance / 10) and letters (category). L is standard, M and N are for Marriage Allowance, BR for basic rate only, K for negative allowance. Prefixes S and C indicate Scottish and Welsh taxpayer status. This guide decodes each.

7 Jul 2026 · 7 min read

UK Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Explained

UK Statutory Sick Pay is GBP 116.75/week (2024/25) for up to 28 weeks after 4 qualifying days of incapacity. Paid by the employer through PAYE. This guide covers eligibility, the qualifying days, and enhanced employer sick pay.

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read

UK Probation Period: Your Employment Rights

UK probation periods are contractual not statutory. Typical 3-6 months. Statutory employment rights apply from day one. Unfair dismissal protection from 2 years' service. This guide covers what's protected, what's at risk, and how to navigate probation.

16 Jun 2026 · 6 min read

UK Pension Auto-Enrolment Explained for New Employees

UK auto-enrolment under the Pensions Act 2008 requires employers to enrol eligible employees in a workplace pension with 8% total contribution (3% employer / 5% employee inc tax relief). This guide covers eligibility, opting out, fund choice, and the long-term benefit.

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read

UK Payslip Explained Line by Line

A UK payslip lists every deduction from gross pay to net pay. This guide walks through each common line: PAYE, NI, pension, student loan, salary sacrifice. Statutory requirements under section 8 Employment Rights Act 1996.

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read

UK Job Offer Negotiation: What's Negotiable

UK job offers typically have several negotiable elements: salary, signing bonus, holiday, flexible working, start date, notice period, training budget. Pension and benefits sometimes negotiable. This guide covers what to ask for and how to approach the conversation.

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read

UK Holiday Entitlement and Pro-Rata Calculations

UK statutory holiday is 5.6 weeks per year (28 days for 5-day week). Part-time and irregular workers receive pro-rata. The Harpur Trust v Brazel case affects irregular-hours workers. This guide covers the entitlement, pro-rata methods, and payment.

16 Jun 2026 · 7 min read

UK Employment Contract Explained: Clauses to Watch

UK employment contracts must include specific terms by law under section 1 Employment Rights Act 1996. This guide covers the mandatory clauses, the common discretionary terms (restrictive covenants, bonus, notice), and what to question before signing.

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read

First UK Job: The Complete Earning Guide

Starting a first UK job involves PAYE tax, National Insurance, auto-enrolment pension, statutory holiday, sick pay, and other employee rights. This guide covers the payslip, tax codes, payment setup, and the first-month checklist.

16 Jun 2026 · 9 min read