OraUnderstand your payslip
A payslip commonly describes earnings, the pay period, deductions and the amount paid. Read those sections separately: a correct hours total does not by itself verify deductions or the final payment.
On this page
Identify the period
Check the employer and employee identifiers without sharing them publicly. Find the pay-period start and finish, the payment date and the units used. The payment date may be later than the dates worked, and a late correction may appear in a later period.
Match your records to the period on the slip. If a shift crosses the cut-off, confirm how payroll allocates its hours. Do not compare a calendar month of shifts with a different payroll period and assume the difference is an error.
Read the earnings lines
Look for basic pay, ordinary hours, overtime and any separate premiums or bonuses. Check whether a displayed overtime rate is the full rate or only the additional premium. A salary line may use a different basis from hourly work.
Gross pay is earnings before deductions. A reimbursement can be shown alongside wages while having different payroll or tax treatment; do not automatically multiply every payment by an hourly rate.
A fictional breakdown
This generic example is invented to explain arithmetic. It is not a legally complete payslip for any country, and its deduction amount is chosen only for demonstration.
On a narrow screen, scroll the table horizontally to see all columns.
| Line | Calculation or amount |
|---|---|
| Ordinary earnings | 30h × €15 = €450 |
| Overtime, full rate | 2h × €15 × 1.5 = €45 |
| Gross earnings | €495 |
| Illustrative deductions | €80 |
| Net earnings | €415 |
| Separate reimbursement | €20 |
| Illustrative payment | €435 |
The €435 payment is not the gross earnings figure. The example shows why comparing a gross calculator result directly with a bank deposit can be misleading.
Examine deductions separately
Tax, social contributions, pension or benefit contributions and other deductions can appear under different labels. Their presence, calculation basis and permitted treatment depend on the location and individual circumstances. No percentage is assumed here.
Check each label against payroll explanations and the relevant official authority. If a line is unfamiliar, ask what period and calculation it covers. Avoid uploading a full payslip or personal identifier to an unverified service to get an answer.
Keep the reconciliation separate from the payslip labels: the paycheck-checking guide starts with your period and hours. The known-deduction paycheck tool can organize entered amounts, but does not calculate your jurisdiction’s taxes.
Prepare a clear question
Write down the line, the amount shown, the amount you expected and the records behind that expectation. For example: “My records show 32 paid hours in this period; the ordinary and overtime lines together show 30. Which dates are included?”
Requirements vary. For a UK-specific starting point, GOV.UK explains payslip contents and rights. That guidance was checked on 27 October 2026 and must not be applied as another country’s law. Use the appropriate local authority elsewhere.
Common questions
Is gross pay the money paid into my account?
Usually these describe different stages: gross earnings precede deductions, while the payment may also include separate adjustments or reimbursements. Read the slip’s labels and totals.
Can a calculator prove my payslip is correct?
A calculator can check stated arithmetic and assumptions. It cannot verify every entitlement, deduction, payroll adjustment or missing record.
What should I send payroll?
Use the specific period, disputed line and relevant dated records through the employer’s appropriate channel. Avoid sharing unrelated personal or financial details.
Results are estimates before tax. Rules and actual pay vary with your contract, location, payroll and deductions. About these estimates.
