Pay

Pay and wages

The essence of employment is pay in return for work; the employer's obligation to provide consideration for the individual’s work and skill in the form of a wage or other remuneration is generally regarded as a fundamental ingredient of a contract of employment. This generally gives rise to a duty to pay wages whenever an employee is ready and willing to work. If they are ready and willing to work but unable to do so for reasons beyond their control (ie an unavoidable or involuntary impediment), then they are also entitled to be paid. A worker who deliberately and unreasonably refuses to do any work loses the right to be paid.

Pay can take many different forms. Employers generally agree the basic rate and frequency at which they will pay their employees. Any details agreed at the start of employment must be recorded in the written statement of particulars, as should any changes subsequently agreed. While the contract provides the starting point for determining the employer’s obligations in this area, this will be subject to a number of significant statutory rights that govern a worker’s pay, such as the

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Powered by Lexis+®
Latest Employment News

PAC criticises Home Office over failures to tackle exploitation under skilled worker visa route

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has found that the Home Office failed to adequately address the risk of exploitation and non-compliance under the skilled worker visa scheme, particularly in the care sector. In its 4 July 2025 report, the PAC criticises the department for failing to prevent abuse following the scheme’s 2022 expansion to support adult social care, highlighting serious weaknesses in safeguarding, compliance monitoring, and tracking of visa expiries. While the expansion helped alleviate workforce shortages during the pandemic, it also exposed migrant workers to exploitation, with evidence submitted to the inquiry detailing cases of debt bondage, excessive working hours and poor living conditions. Despite early signs of abuse, the Home Office was slow to respond and does not hold data on how many visa holders have been identified as potential victims of modern slavery. The PAC further found that the department lacks key data on visa compliance, including whether workers leave the UK at the end of their stay, are re-sponsored, or remain unlawfully, and has not analysed exit check data since the route’s introduction. In light of the recent decision to end overseas recruitment for care workers, the PAC warns of further risks unless cross-government workforce strategies are coordinated and calls for a joined-up approach to tackling exploitation and addressing domestic skills shortages.

View Employment by content type :

Popular documents