Pay Essentials

Arriving from another country, it can take a little while to become familiar with a new currency. Salaries and rates of pay in the UK are high - but in order to give you an insight the table below shows what your London wage would actually be worth in Australian or New Zealand dollars & South African Rand.

If you secure a temporary position through ourselves you'll be paid weekly in arrears and holiday pay is usually paid up front in your hourly pay rate . It's very rare that this is held back and paid out when you have time off. (This is true of working through most recruitment consultancies) To access any money you earn you will need a UK bank account.

Bank Accounts
To open an account, you will need proof of ID and residency, so your passport is required. You will also have to supply an original council tax, electricity, gas or water bill to confirm your address and you may also need a letter or reference from your employer or agency to prove that you are liable and trustworthy person. As part of their service, Joslin Rowe will assist you with the process. The main UK banks are: Barclays, HSBC, RBS and Lloyds.

National Insurance
National Insurance is the contribution that anyone working in the UK must give to government-run organisations such as the national health service (which you are eligible to use). As soon as you start working, you must, by law, apply for a National Insurance number. Once you've applied, you will be issued with a temporary NI number, and your permanent card will be delivered around three months later. You can find out more here.

Tax
If you've just arrived in the UK and are intending to work Pay As You Earn (PAYE), you will need to complete a P46 Inland Revenue Declaration of Employment form and return it with your first time sheet to our Payroll Department. If you have worked in the UK before, you will need to provide payroll with your P45 issued from your previous employer. This form provides Payroll with information on your previous earnings and tax code. You must keep copies of your P45s (leaving certificates) and P60s (end of year tax certificates). The tax year runs from April 6th until April 5th of each year. At the end of the tax year,you will be issued with a P60, which informs you of your gross earnings for the year, and the total deductions, which have been made. For further information on the tax process in the UK please click here