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Raising an issue with your employer

If you have not been paid your full wages, follow your organisation's policy for raising problems with pay. If there's no policy, raise the problem as soon as possible with your manager, payroll team or someone in HR.

It's usually best to raise the problem informally first. You can do this by talking with your employer. This can help resolve it quickly if there's been a mistake.

If you talk with someone to raise the issue, it can help to also put it in writing so that you have a record. For example, confirm what you've discussed in a letter or email.

If you cannot resolve it informally, you can raise a grievance. This is where you make a formal complaint to your employer.

Whether you raise it informally or formally, it can help to:

  • explain how much you think you're owed and why
  • show any calculations you've done
  • share any evidence of wages you're owed – for example, copies of your payslip, contract, timesheet, roster or any written agreement about your pay or hours
  • ask your employer to respond within a specific amount of time – for example, within 7 days, or before your next pay day

If you have not been paid the minimum wage

Your employer could be breaking minimum wage law if:

  • you have not been paid at least the legal minimum wage 
  • your employer does not resolve it by your next pay day 

If it's a minimum wage issue, you have other options for raising it formally.

Find out more about the steps you can take if your employer pays less than the minimum wage

Making a claim to an employment tribunal

You might be able to make a claim to an employment tribunal if:

  • your wages have not been paid correctly
  • you have not been able to resolve this with your employer

Tell Acas you want to make a claim to an employment tribunal

How far back you can claim

There are strict time limits for making a claim to an employment tribunal.

For claims about unpaid wages, you have 3 months minus 1 day from the date you should have been paid.

If you were underpaid or not paid more than once, you have 3 months minus 1 day from the last time it happened.

You can claim up to 2 years back as long as either of the following apply:

  • there's less than 3 months between each underpayment or non-payment
  • the underpayments or non-payments are linked – for example, they might be linked if they are caused by the same error

Find out more about employment tribunal time limits

Get more advice and support

For more advice about unpaid wages, you can:

For advice on financial support: