Employer not paying me

[TeddyisMydog]

I was told I would be paid by bank transfer today.
I finished my shift at 1.30pm and still haven't been paid, I've contacted the company twice but they just say it'll be paid today
Not really sure what to do

They asked for my bank details over whatsapp

Presumably your employer has a note of your NI number.
You should also be given a wage slip with deductions.
I’d give it a couple of weeks and if none are forthcoming then ask for them.
I wouldn’t worry about HMRC at this stage. If your tax deductions aren’t correct you can fill out a tax form after April next year, for the tax year we’re now in.
NI is different- if your employer isn’t deducting it or paying his share then that needs to be addressed, but first get your pay slips.,

When a payroll is run there is a report that is uploaded to HMRC, which also gives details of starters and leavers. Given that this report will have only just uploaded I think it's unlikely that this employment would show already. Some of HMRC's systems update overnight but others only update a couple of times a month.

I would be more concerned if your employer wasn't providing you with wage slips.

It doesn't sound to me like this company bother with any of those pesky employment requirements that kinda legally required and protect employees rights ..

A written pay slip showing gross pay , net pay and NI / tax deduction.

Due diligence identity checks to ensure you have the legal right to work in UK.

They need to report their payroll to HMRC.

I work as a modern slavery investigator and this type of employer behaviour is unbelievably common. No legitimate employer recruits over WhatsApp and 'pings' money over to employees on a Sunday night.

I am not saying you are being exploited for one minute as long as you are receiving minimum wage. However I would put money on this company dodging their business tax liability to HMRC..

If you claim benefits and they don't report your wages via HMRC payroll .. then it won't show and you will be overpaid. So you need to report your income yourself next month if this happens .

Could be true @Lindasllama or it could just be that the OP has worked for a small company for a few days and the payroll person was off last week, no-one was available to set things up properly and one of the company directors has just put a temporary measure in place so the OP has some money in the short term.

Sometimes 2+2 does actually equal 4, not 5.

I'm trying not to give too much details but there is only 2 people I work for, there's no further pay roll people

Whenever I've been paid from other company's it shows on hmrc a few days before I get the money, the fact this was sent over on a Sunday night has me doubting it'll ever go through hmrc
I think I'll tell them I won't go back, it's becoming quite sketchy

They might be paying cash in hand, I don't know but OP you have no idea about how payroll and reporting to HMRC works.

When you set someone new on you have to enter their details onto either payroll software (I used to use Sage and now use Payroll Manager) or HMRC provide free software. You have to report any payments on or before the date which you pay someone. This then usually takes 24-48 hours to filter through to HMRC and possibly even longer to go onto an individuals personal online tax account.

If they entered your details onto the system yesterday then it will not show up yet.

That's the thing I really don't think they've reported it to hmrc, they don't even have my address the only thing they asked for was bank details and I sent them over whatsapp

Do they have your national insurance number?

I really don't remember giving it to them, I might have said it verbally but they've definitely not seen my NI card or any proof of my number

NI cards are not issued these days. I ask new employees to write it down for me and I enter it into a computer but verbally would be fine. You can also ask HMRC to generate a temporary number if you don't have one for a new starter.

Yeah I've had my card since I got it lol, definitely did not write it down

Just ask them for a payslip?

The majority of employers run the payroll early in the week for a Friday pay day, which is probably why your old employer wages were showing on your Gateway early.

I think you're being a little premature in leaving because of this - they may not have submitted the report to HMRC until yesterday and it won't update that quickly.

I would give it a week and then if it's not showing up make a decision.

They don't have pay slips apparently (this is the reason I was given when I asked for one)
Still nothing through my hmrc account which I'm not surprised about given it was a bank transfer payment
I've only worked two days for them this weekend and they've once again said I'll receive this through bank transfer tonight

Hmrc said I should register as self employed but I'm not! I don't have my own business, I also know UC have a minimum income floor etc and it'll really mess my claim up going self employed. The work isn't going to last much longer but I think I'll have to be honest and admit to them that the stress of it isn't doing me any good and I won't be back

What sort of work is this and what industry?

If it's any sort of live event it's all often on a freelance basis which, while technically doesn't meet HMRCs definition of self employed, is how it generally runs. Hence advice to register as self employed. But you only have to do this if you earn more than £1k in any tax year.

However if you have work requirements to comply with for UC and this your only income then it will be quite hard to manage on this sort of work.

I'm pretty sure payslips are a legal obligation as well. Sounds messy OP.

HMRC will not advise you to be self employed.

The closest they get to "advising" is the employment status checker. Most of the time racking up to a job when told being paid per hour or shift, and working on the employers premises with their equipment or whatever is employment.

I see no reason why HMRC will have advised this.

It's possible this employer doesn't need to be a registered employer if you are not paid much each week and are the only employee. Depends on your other income and what you signed on your starter form. Or, if you are their first employee, they are waiting for the registration to come through.

However "we don't provide payslips" is a bit of a red flag for them.

HMRC advising to be "self-employed" is a bit of a red flag re OP.

Yes, they are legally obliged to give you payslips. Maybe ask CAB for advice?

If they don't issue payslips then you are not a PAYE employee. They have just made a bank payment to you, as if you are self employed, or just casual. Because that suits them.

Op I work for a small business and sort salaries out etc.
I pay our staff by bank transfer then transfer the tax to the HMRC account by bank transfer. I can’t imagine that it updates straight away.

Saying that, we do give payslips and when new employees start, they have to fill in a HMRC form with all their details.

Whats this HMRC thing you say you’re checking? I’ve never heard of it?

It's your own personal hmrc tax page

I have never filled in any forms

I'm not the only employee

"Check or update employment
See how much you've been paid" that thing

The employer isn't there and I suspect never will be
As I have not filled in any forms, they only have my full name and my contact number
I may have verbally told them my NI number but I don't remember doing so, definitely have not written it down for them anywhere

Whenever I've been in other employment, within days of starting the company will be on my tax page and then two days before I get paid the amount I'm due will show up. I've never had it show up after I've been paid, never had it show up months afterwards

As I said, it looks like they processed you in their payrun. Not registered you as a new employee. What do you intend to do about this? You either contact them, or let it go / accept that they've processed you as self employed/casual.

I think I'm going to stop working for them