If you worked shifts, left a job, and your employer has not paid you, the next step is to turn the problem into a clear record: what work you did, what you expected to be paid, what you actually received, and when the money should have arrived.
This guide is general information for workers and employees in England. It is not legal advice. If the deadline is close, the amount is significant, or the employer has disappeared, contact Acas, Citizens Advice, a trade union, or an employment adviser quickly.
Acas says employers must pay wages on the agreed payday. Citizens Advice says you can challenge an employer if they have not paid your wages, have underpaid you, or have made deductions you do not agree with.
First, work out exactly what is missing
Before you send a long message to your employer, write down the pay problem in plain numbers.
Start with:
- the pay period you are asking about;
- the agreed hourly rate, day rate, salary, or shift rate;
- the number of hours or shifts worked;
- the date you expected to be paid;
- the amount you actually received, if anything;
- any deductions you do not understand;
- any holiday pay, notice pay, overtime, commission, bonus, sick pay, or expenses you think are missing.
If this is final pay after leaving a job, check more than basic wages. Your final pay might include pay for hours worked, unused statutory holiday, notice pay if relevant, approved expenses, overtime, commission, or other amounts due under your contract.
Collect evidence before messages disappear
You do not need a perfect file before raising the issue, but you should keep anything that helps prove the hours, rate, and pay date.
Useful evidence can include:
- rotas, shift screenshots, timesheets, or clock-in records;
- WhatsApp, text, email, or app messages confirming shifts or pay rates;
- bank statements showing what was paid and when;
- payslips, even if they look wrong;
- your employment contract, offer letter, written statement, staff handbook, or onboarding messages;
- screenshots from scheduling, HR, or payroll apps;
- notes of phone calls, including dates, times, and who you spoke to;
- names of managers or payroll contacts who agreed the work.
If you were paid hourly, Citizens Advice says payslips should help you check whether you have been paid for all the hours in the pay period. If you did not receive a payslip, ask for one in writing.
Check whether holiday pay is part of the problem
If you left part-way through the holiday year, you might be owed pay for statutory holiday you built up but did not take.
For example, a missing final pay dispute might include:
- unpaid shifts up to your leaving date;
- unused holiday pay;
- notice pay, if you worked notice or were entitled to be paid for it;
- overtime or commission already earned;
- expenses that had been approved;
- deductions your contract does not allow.
Citizens Advice says employers must pay everything owed in the final pay packet, even if the person has been dismissed. The final pay date is often the normal payday, but the deadline for taking action can depend on when the money should have been paid.
If there was no written contract
No written contract does not automatically mean there is no claim.
You can still gather evidence of:
- what you were told about the rate of pay;
- how often you were meant to be paid;
- how shifts were offered and accepted;
- whether managers approved the work;
- whether you were treated like a worker or employee;
- what other staff were paid for the same type of shift, if you know.
Acas says your written statement should set out pay and when it is paid. If you never received one, keep a note of that too. The more casual the arrangement was, the more important your messages, rota records, and bank evidence become.
If your employer offered cash instead
Cash pay is not automatically unlawful, but it should still be recorded properly. You should be able to understand gross pay, deductions, net pay, and the period covered by the payment.
Be careful if an employer says they will pay cash only if you stop asking for a payslip, tax record, or holiday pay. Keep the message. If they pay part of what is owed, note whether it is meant to be full settlement or only a partial payment.
If you are unsure whether tax, National Insurance, or minimum wage rules have been handled properly, ask Acas, Citizens Advice, or an adviser before agreeing that the matter is closed.
Raise it informally, but put it in writing
Acas recommends raising pay problems as soon as possible with your manager, payroll team, or HR. It is often best to start informally because payroll mistakes do happen.
Even if you speak by phone, follow up in writing so there is a record.
You could write:
I am asking about unpaid wages for the pay period ending [date]. I worked [hours/shifts] at [rate], so I expected gross pay of about [amount], plus [holiday pay/overtime/expenses if relevant]. I received [amount] on [date], or I have not received payment. Please confirm how this has been calculated and when the missing amount will be paid.
Attach or mention the evidence you have. Ask for a specific response date, such as seven days or before the next payday.
If they ignore you, make the request more formal
If the employer keeps ghosting you, send a clearer written request. Use email if possible, and keep a copy.
Include:
- your full name and role;
- the dates you worked;
- the pay date that was missed;
- the amount you believe is owed;
- copies or descriptions of your evidence;
- a request for your payslip, if missing;
- a deadline for response;
- a note that you may contact Acas if it is not resolved.
Keep the tone factual. The aim is to make it easy for payroll, HR, or a manager to fix the issue, and to create a clear timeline if they do not.
Watch the time limit
Do not wait too long for replies.
Acas says unpaid wage claims to an employment tribunal usually have a time limit of 3 months minus 1 day from the date you should have been paid. If the employer underpaid or failed to pay you more than once, the time limit usually runs from the last underpayment or non-payment.
GOV.UK says you normally have to make an employment tribunal claim within 3 months of the problem happening, and you must tell Acas before making a claim. The time limit is put on hold while Acas helps with the dispute.
If the deadline is close, contact Acas early conciliation before spending more time chasing messages.
When to contact Acas or Citizens Advice
Contact Acas or Citizens Advice if:
- the employer has missed the pay date and will not explain why;
- you have left the job and final pay is missing;
- you do not have a payslip;
- the employer has deducted money without explaining it;
- the missing pay might take you below minimum wage;
- the employer has stopped replying;
- several workers have not been paid;
- the company appears to have closed or become insolvent;
- the tribunal deadline may be approaching.
If you are in a trade union, contact your union representative too.
If the employer has disappeared or gone out of business
If the business has stopped trading, changed names, closed its premises, or stopped replying to everyone, the route can be different from a normal payroll mistake.
Citizens Advice has separate guidance for employers who disappear or go out of business. You may need advice on whether the employer is insolvent, whether there is still someone to claim against, and what evidence you need.
Do not assume there is no point taking action. But do act quickly, because tribunal and insolvency-related routes can have deadlines.
What employers should learn from this
Most unpaid wage disputes become worse because nobody can see the same record.
For employers, the prevention checklist is straightforward:
- confirm pay rates and payday in writing;
- keep rota, timesheet, and payroll records connected;
- issue payslips on time;
- reconcile holiday before final pay;
- record leaver dates clearly;
- give payroll enough time to check final wages, deductions, and expenses;
- keep a clear contact route after someone leaves.
Workmax helps UK employers connect HR records, time tracking, holiday, payroll checks, payslips, and leaver workflows so final pay does not depend on scattered messages and spreadsheets.
For the employer side, see:
- Payroll software for UK employers
- What happens to final pay when an employee leaves?
- Employer leaver checklist: resignation to final payslip
- Holiday pay calculator
