Employee Portal Glossary

These terms appear in the Employee Portal. Each definition explains what you see and what it means for your pay.

If a figure or detail looks wrong, contact your payroll admin. You cannot change payroll records yourself in the portal.

For a tour of the portal, see Employee Portal.

Pay on your payslip

Payslip

A payslip is the record of one payday: what you earned and what was taken out. It shows gross pay, tax, National Insurance, pensions, other deductions, and net pay.

Open Payslips in the sidebar, or click View Payslip on Home. Learn more in Payslips.

Pay period

The pay period is the start and end dates your pay covers, for example 1 April to 30 April.

It appears on Home under Recent Payslip and in the Pay Period column on Payslips.

Pay date

The pay date (also shown as Paid On) is the day you are paid.

On Payslips, click the pay date to open that payslip.

Gross pay

Gross pay is your pay before Income Tax, National Insurance, and most deductions.

Payslips list it for each pay period.

Net pay

Net pay is take-home pay: what you receive after tax, National Insurance, pensions, and other deductions.

On Home you can Show or Hide the amount. Payslips list it next to gross pay.

Taxes

On Home, Taxes is the Income Tax and National Insurance taken from your pay for the period you selected.

The exact amounts for each payday are on that payslip.

Deductions

Deductions are amounts taken from your pay other than tax and National Insurance. Examples include a postgraduate loan or an Attachment of Earnings.

You can see them on Salary and on each payslip.

Fiscal year

The fiscal year in Payslips is the UK tax year, which runs from 6 April to 5 April, not from 1 January to 31 December.

Select a year (for example 2026 - 27) to list only the payslips from that tax year.

Year to date

Year to date means totals from 6 April to now: pay, tax, National Insurance, and similar amounts.

On Home, Salary Breakdown can show these totals for a period such as This Year.

Tax and National Insurance

PAYE

PAYE stands for Pay As You Earn. It is how Income Tax is taken from your pay before you receive it, instead of you paying a lump sum later.

HMRC issues your tax code. Payroll uses that code and your earnings to work out how much tax to deduct.

Tax code

Your tax code (for example 1257L) tells payroll how much tax-free pay you are allowed in the tax year, and therefore how much Income Tax to deduct.

You can check it under Tax Information in My Profile. If HMRC has sent you a new code and the portal still shows the old one, contact your payroll admin.

National Insurance (NI)

National Insurance is a contribution paid on your earnings. You pay an employee amount. Your employer also pays an employer amount, which is not taken from your net pay.

Your NI Number is on My Profile. Employee NI appears on your payslip.

NI category

Your NI category is a letter (for example A, J, or C) that sets which National Insurance rates apply to you. Most employees are category A. Other letters apply in specific cases, such as if you have deferred NI or you are over State Pension age.

You can check yours on My Profile.

Starter declaration

The starter declaration is the statement your employer used when you started, for example whether this is your first job since 6 April.

It is listed under Tax Information on My Profile. If it is wrong, tax may be deducted incorrectly until your payroll admin updates it.

Salary, pensions, and benefits

Basic pay

Basic pay is your regular salary or wage, shown as an amount for your pay frequency, for example per month.

It appears under Salary and wages on Salary.

Workplace pension

A workplace pension is a retirement savings scheme your employer provides. If you are in a scheme, Pensions on Salary shows the provider, how contributions are calculated, and the employer and employee percentages.

Employee contributions come out of your pay. Employer contributions are paid by your employer.

Relief at source

Relief at source is a way pension tax relief is applied. Your contribution is taken from your pay after tax, and the pension scheme claims basic-rate tax relief from HMRC and adds it to your pot.

If your scheme uses this method, Tax Relief Type on Salary shows it.

Qualifying earnings

Qualifying earnings are the band of pay used to work out pension contributions, not always your full salary.

If your scheme uses them, Contribution Earnings on Salary shows qualifying earnings, and Band Values shows the band.

Benefit in Kind (BiK)

A Benefit in Kind is a non-cash benefit your employer gives you, such as entertainment or a company car. Some benefits are taxable.

Benefits in Kind on Salary shows the benefit name, how it is reported (for example PAYE), and the amount.

Documents and support

P60

A P60 is the end-of-year summary of your pay and deductions for the tax year. You may need it for a tax return, mortgage, or benefits claim.

When your employer has shared it, open it in Documents.

P11D

A P11D reports certain Benefits in Kind and expenses to HMRC for the tax year.