Always agree a gross wage with your employee

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always agree a gross wage

Always agree a gross wage with your employee

Employers often agree a net (i.e. take-home) wage with their employee, but in reality they are always paid a gross salary, with tax and National Insurance Contributions deducted and paid to HMRC on a quarterly basis by the employer. Although many employers tend to look on this as an additional cost, it is actually part of the employee's gross wage.

If you agree a fixed net wage you are committing yourself to paying all of your employee’s income tax and NI to make up their gross wage, irrespective of their individual tax code or tax position.

Please also be aware that a gross wage is not the total cost to you as an employer. In addition to this you have to pay an Employer’s National Insurance Contribution, which is not part of the employee’s gross wage. This extra sum will be advised to you when we send your first payslip for your employee.

employment guide

Payslips and employment contract

You must give your employee a payslip every time you pay them, and you must also give them a contract of employment within two months of their starting date.

employment law

Make sure your employee is legally entitled to work in the UK

All UK employers are now required by law to make basic checks on every person they intend to employ in order to establish that they have a right to work in the UK and are here legally. You must not make assumptions based on the person's appearance or accent.