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Spotlight on

Tuesday, 23rd December 2008

Bank of England interest-rate change
On the 4th of December 2008, the Bank of England again reduced their interest rate (often referred to as the 'base rate'), to the lowest level since November 1951.

But, what does that mean for customers?

Jobs

Are you getting paid enough? Your employer will probably sort out your pay, but it's up to you to check you have been paid the right amount.

The articles linked to below will help you:

  • understand all the information on your payslip so you can check how much you have earned, what has been deducted and whether this is right
  • know what to do if you have paid more tax than you need to
  • consider how you might start to climb the career ladder and increase your salary

Quick intro

Your payslip
Your payslip shows the money you have earned, including your gross salary and any overtime or bonus payments. It will also list any deductions. You will almost certainly pay Income Tax and National Insurance and you may make contributions to a pension scheme too. Finally it says what's left over - your net salary, or take-home pay. If you can identify the various amounts on your payslip, then you can check it thoroughly, and take control of your finances.

Paying too much tax
Your payslip will include your tax code. When you start a new job your employer may have to use an emergency tax code. This means you may pay more tax than you need to until your tax code is sorted. But you can claim this back, or you may find it refunded to you automatically.

Climbing the career ladder
Even if you have just started your first job, you may already be looking to the future. Understanding how to have useful conversations with your employer about your salary and career progression will help you climb the ladder and maybe get a pay rise.

Continuing to study for a qualification while you are working is one way of progressing your career. An apprenticeship allows you to earn money while you continue to learn.

Find out more

We've put together a short list of resources you might find useful. This is a cross-section to start you off, but you may want to do some more research. Some of these resources are on other websites, so you need to be aware that the FSA is not responsible for content you find on these websites.

Users can rate articles with between one and five stars; this is not an FSA rating. But we have marked the articles 1-3, based on how detailed they are. If you are looking for a very quick introduction, look for level 1; if you are ready to find out more, go for a 3.

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 FSA Recommended
3
 Detail (1 = basic, 3 = advanced)
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Articles

Thesite.org.uk - What's on your payslip?
A simple, introductory article to help you understand what is on your payslip.
Direct.gov.uk - Taxes and you
If you're new to Income Tax, it's good to know how much you'll have to pay and how you'll be expected to pay it. It's also worth knowing when you don't need to pay it and how to claim it back if any has been deducted.
Apprenticeships.org.uk - Apprenticeships
Lots of information here on apprenticeships.
Thesite.org.uk - Moving up the job ladder
This article gives you some tips on how to climb the job ladder.