Work · Practical guide
Your employment rights: paperwork, pay, hours and holiday.
Last verified: 1 November 2026· Based on GOV.UK and Acas· Next review 1 February 2027
The problem
You have started — or are about to start — a job in the UK and are not sure what paperwork you should get, how much you must be paid, how many hours you can be asked to work or how much holiday you are owed. This guide explains the legal minimums and where to get official help.
Applies to: Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland has its own employment law — check nidirect. These are legal minimums; your contract can give you more.
See exactly what your employer must give you on day one. Opens in a new tab.
What you need to know
- You have an employment contract as soon as you accept a job offer. GOV.UK says a contract does not have to be written down — it is the whole agreement, including terms agreed verbally and terms implied by law.
- Separately, employers must give employees and workers a 'written statement of employment particulars'. GOV.UK is clear: it is not an employment contract. It is a summary of the main terms that must be provided by law.
- The main part of the written statement (the 'principal statement') must be given on your first day. A 'wider written statement' covering pensions, training and disciplinary and grievance procedures must follow within 2 months.
- From 1 April 2026, the National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over. Rates are lower for younger workers and apprentices, and they change every April.
- You cannot be made to work more than 48 hours a week on average (normally averaged over 17 weeks) unless you choose to opt out in writing. Some jobs are exceptions.
- Almost all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year — 28 days for someone working 5 days a week. Your employer can include bank holidays in this.
- If you are an employee or worker, you have a right to a payslip showing your pay before and after deductions.
Step by step
- 1
Check your written statement on day one
Ask for it if you have not received it. Check it shows at least: employer and your name, job title, start date, pay and how often, hours and days, holiday entitlement, place of work, how long the job is expected to last, probation, other benefits and obligatory training.
- 2
Understand what else forms your contract
Your contract can include the offer letter, the written statement, the staff handbook, things agreed verbally, and terms implied by law (like the minimum wage). Keep copies of everything you are given and any messages agreeing changes.
- 3
Check your pay against the minimum wage
Divide your pay by the hours you actually worked, including required training and time travelling between assignments where that counts as work. Compare it with the current GOV.UK rate for your age.
- 4
Read every payslip
Check the hours, the rate, and the deductions for tax, National Insurance and pension. If something you do not recognise is being taken off, ask your employer in writing what it is.
- 5
Know your hours and breaks
If you are over 18, you are usually entitled to a 20-minute break if you work more than 6 hours, 11 hours' rest between working days, and 24 hours off each week (or 48 hours each fortnight). Breaks do not have to be paid unless your contract says so.
- 6
Work out your holiday
Multiply the days you work each week by 5.6 (capped at 28 days). For example, 3 days a week = at least 16.8 days a year. Irregular-hours workers build up leave based on hours worked — use the GOV.UK holiday calculator.
- 7
Raise problems early and in writing
Start informally with your manager. If that does not work, use your employer's grievance procedure (it should be in your wider written statement). Acas gives free, impartial advice, and you can complain about pay and work rights to the Fair Work Agency.
Written statement vs employment contract
These two are often confused. According to GOV.UK and Acas:
- Employment contract: the full agreement between you and your employer. It exists as soon as you accept the job, whether or not it is written down, and includes written, verbal and implied terms.
- Written statement of employment particulars: a legally required document listing the main terms. It is evidence of some of your terms, but it is not the contract itself and may not contain everything you agreed.
- Many employers combine both into one document called a 'contract'. If so, it should still include everything the written statement must contain.
- Who gets one: employees and workers are entitled to a written statement from their first day. Genuinely self-employed contractors are not.
- If you do not get one, ask in writing. GOV.UK explains what you can do if there are problems with a written statement.
Rules can change and depend on your situation. Confirm on the official page before acting.
Common mistakes and warnings
Thinking 'no written contract' means no rights
Your contract exists once you accept the job, and minimum rights like the minimum wage, holiday and breaks apply by law whatever your paperwork says.
Treating the written statement as the whole contract
It summarises the main terms. Other things you agreed, the staff handbook and terms implied by law can also form part of your contract.
Not counting all working time when checking pay
In some cases, unpaid required training or costs you must pay for the job (such as a uniform) can take your real hourly pay below the legal minimum. GOV.UK's minimum wage calculator for workers can help you check.
Signing a 48-hour opt-out you did not want
GOV.UK says opting out must be voluntary and in writing, you cannot be sacked or treated unfairly for refusing, and you can cancel it by giving at least 7 days' notice (up to 3 months if your agreement says so).
Losing your payslips
They are your main evidence if there is ever a dispute about pay, tax or holiday. Keep digital copies.
Working beyond your visa conditions to please an employer
Employment law and immigration law are separate. Extra hours your visa does not allow can put your status at risk, even if your employer asks.
Frequently asked questions
My employer says I'm self-employed. Do I still get these rights?
It depends on your real employment status, not just the label. GOV.UK has a tool to check employment status, and Acas can advise. Employees and workers get minimum wage, holiday and a written statement; genuinely self-employed people do not.
Do I get paid for bank holidays?
There is no legal right to have bank holidays off with pay on top of your 5.6 weeks. Your employer can include them in your statutory leave. Check your written statement.
Are rest breaks paid?
Not necessarily. GOV.UK says the break does not have to be paid — it depends on your contract.
Will I be put into a pension automatically?
Many workers are enrolled into a workplace pension automatically, and a percentage of pay goes in each payday, usually with an employer contribution. GOV.UK explains who qualifies and how to opt out.
I'm being paid less than the minimum wage. What can I do?
Raise it with your employer in writing first. You can get free advice from Acas, and complain about pay to the Fair Work Agency.
Official resources
Verified official services. Each opens in a new tab — you choose when to go.
Next step
Ready to act on this?
See exactly what your employer must give you on day one. Opens in a new tab.
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Sources and last verified
Last verified 1 November 2026; next review 1 February 2027. This guide summarises:
- GOV.UK — Employment contracts
- GOV.UK — Written statement of employment particulars
- GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
- GOV.UK — Understanding your pay
- GOV.UK — Maximum weekly working hours
- GOV.UK — Opting out of the 48 hour week
- GOV.UK — Rest breaks at work
- GOV.UK — Holiday entitlement
- GOV.UK — Workplace pensions
MyAgumba explains official guidance in plain English. It is not legal, immigration, tax or financial advice, and MyAgumba is not part of, or endorsed by, the government. Always confirm the detail on the official page before acting.