Information about payroll and salaries, including National Insurance numbers and salary rates for University employees.

Contact us

Check the contacts section at the bottom of the page for specific details

Heslington Hall

Getting paid

When will I get paid?

Payday is on the last working day of each month for all staff. The only exception is at Christmas when payday is brought forward so that staff get paid in the last few days before 25 December. See more information about upcoming pay dates via the HR website.

How is my salary paid?

Salaried employees receive one twelfth of their annual salary each month. Casual workers will be paid based on timesheets submitted for hours worked at an agreed hourly rate. Your pay might be subject to tax, National Insurance and Pension contributions.

I am having National Insurance deducted from my pay, is this right?

You pay National Insurance contributions to qualify for certain benefits (gov.uk) including the State Pension.

There are different types of National Insurance (known as ‘classes’). The type you pay depends on your employment status and how much you earn, and whether you have any gaps in your National Insurance record.

Employee (primary) contribution rates

Deduct primary contributions (employee’s National Insurance) from your employees’ pay through PAYE.

National Insurance category letter Earnings at or above LEL up to and including PT Earnings above the PT up to and including UEL Balance of earnings above UEL
A 0% 12% 2%
B 0% 5.85% 2%
C nil nil nil
H (Apprentice under 25) 0% 12% 2%
J 0% 2% 2%
M (under 21) 0% 12% 2%
Z (under 21 - deferment) 0% 2% 2%

The above rates are applicable for the 2018/19 tax year. Each year, National Insurance thresholds and rates are reviewed and any changes are applied on the 6 April.

More information about National Insurance can be found on the Government webpages (gov.uk).

Why am I paying so much tax?

The rate of tax applied to your pay will depend on either:

  • the information you supplied to Payroll on a Starter declaration form when you started working at the University
  • your P45
  • a tax code issued by HMRC directly to the University

Please note: if you don't supply a P45 or a Starter declaration form when you first start working at the University you will automatically be set up with a '0T' tax code which will result in you paying a minimum of 20 per cent tax on all of your taxable income.

You can find further information about what your tax code means and how income tax works one the Government webpages below:

What do I do if I think my tax code is wrong?

If you think that your tax code is incorrect or you do not understand it, you need to contact HMRC either through their online portal (gov.uk) or by using the contact information set out under in the “How do I contact the HMRC Tax Office?” section below.

Please do not contact the Payroll team as we are unable to give personal tax advice.

What sorts of income are taxable?

You pay income tax on things like:

  • money you earn from employment
  • profits you make if you’re self-employed - including from services you sell through websites or apps (gov.uk)
  • some state benefits (gov.uk)
  • most pensions, including state pensions, company and personal pensions and retirement annuities
  • rental income (unless you’re a live-in landlord and get less than the rent a room limit (gov.uk))
  • benefits you get from your job
  • income from a trust.

All of these things will have a bearing on the amount of tax you ultimately pay in a tax year.

How much will I pay into my pension each month?

Deductions of pension contributions will depend on which scheme you are eligible to join and the scheme rules on auto enrolment. You can find information about the different pension schemes on offer at York on the University pension pages.

How do I update my bank details?

If you are a salaried employee wishing to update your bank details you can instruct Payroll by either using the form attached to the back of your last payslip or by emailing payroll using the details in the 'Payroll contacts' section below. If you choose to email Payroll, provide:

  • details of the bank account to be deleted
  • the sort code and account number you wish payroll to send your salary to
  • your name
  • your date of birth

Where can I find my payslip?

The University provides digital payslips through the ePayslips dashboard. Please consult the table below for the relevant link.

You first need to sign up to the digital payslips service. For more information on how to sign up and frequently asked questions please visit the digital payslips webpages

Payroll Digital payslips  Notes
University of York staff including Estates

https://yorkac.ep
ayslips.co.uk/

MyView is still available to use.       

University of York casual workers

https://yorkac.ep
ayslips.co.uk/

 
York Commercial Limited staff and Casuals https://ycl.ep
ayslips.co.uk/ 
 
University of York Pension Scheme * https://yorkpens.
epayslips.co.uk/
 
York Health Economics Consortium

https://yhec.ep
ayslips.co.uk/

 
Graduate Students' Association https://yorkgsa.ep
ayslips.co.uk/
 
STEM Learning

https://stem.ep
ayslips.co.uk/

 

* Pensioners also receive two printed payslips, and a printed P60, each year.

When do I get my P60?

A P60 will be issued via the  around the end of May of each year. 

Why is the pay figure on my P60 different from the gross pay on my payslips for the year?

Your P60 shows the amount of your taxable pay, that is to say your gross pay less any pension contributions which are tax free. The figures for pay and tax on your P60 should be the same as taxable pay and tax to date shown in your payslip for March.

Need to contact us with a query on the service? 

Please see the ‘Payroll Contacts’ section.

The payroll cut off date is the last available date that the following things can be processed that month: timesheets, change forms, change of personal details, termination notifications and starter notifications.

Salaried Payroll and Casual Payroll have different cut off dates so please check the relevant lists below.

Salaried Payroll Cut-Off Dates 

The cut-off dates for the salary payroll during 2024-2025 are:

  • 15th January 2024
  • 14th February 2024
  • 14th March 2024
  • 15th April 2024
  • 14th May 2024
  • 14th June 2024
  • 15th July 2024
  • 14th August 2024
  • 13th September 2024
  • 14th October 2024
  • 14th November 2024
  • 9th December 2024
  • 15th January 2025

Please ensure that all changes are completed by these dates as we are unable to guarantee that late input of information will be processed at the correct time.

 

University and YCL casual workers cut-off dates

January to November:

  • 12pm (lunch time) of the 14th is the last day for the worker to submit timesheets for approval
  • 23:59 on the 17th is the last day for departments to approve timesheets for payment

December

  • 12 pm on the 11th is the last day for the worker to submit timesheets for approval
  • 5 pm on the 16th is the last day for departments to approve timesheets for payment

 

YCL salaried staff Cut-Off Dates 

January to November:

  • 15th of each month 
  • If the 15th of the month falls on a weekend deadline will be following Monday

December

  • 9th of the December 

Please complete the Overtime recharge form (PDF , 21kb) (Word version Overtime timesheet (MS Word , 33kb)) and email it to your manager for approval. 

Managers where possible should sign the form, then scan or photograph it and email it to salaried-payroll@york.ac.uk. Where this is not possible Payroll will accept approval by email as long as it is from your Managers University email account. Please note Kronos users must continue to have their overtime approved each week through Kronos, not the overtime form.  

What to do if you are starting at or leaving the University

I am a new starter but don’t have a P45 what do I do?

A Starter Checklist must be completed by staff commencing employment who have either no previous employment or no P45 from a previous employment. Once received by Payroll it is processed and sent to HMRC who then return a tax code based on the statement and the personal circumstances of the individual.

Please ensure you complete both the employee personal details and the employee statement. The employee statement should completed online, printed off then signed by hand rather than with a printed signature.

How much will I be paid in my first month?

If you start part-way through the month you will receive a proportionate salary based on one twelfth of your salary divided by the working days in the month multiplied by the number of working days undertaken.

Example: 

  • If your annual salary is £18,000 and you started working for the University on the 20 September, you will have worked eight days out of the 21 available working days in the month.
    • Monthly pay is £18,000/12= £1500
    • You would get paid £1,500/21 working days in the month x eight days worked= £571.43

I'm leaving the University, when do I get my P45?

Once we have been informed by HR that you are leaving we will make your final payment including any holiday pay due on the normal pay day. A P45 will be provided in the digital payslips service and you have up to 60 days after the day you leave to download it and any other Payroll documents required.

How much will I be paid in my last month?

Your manager will calculate your annual leave allowance when you hand in your resignation. Any overtaken annual leave will be recovered in your pay. If any annual leave is due you will be paid the outstanding amount in your final salary.

Any outstanding loans, season tickets deductions, salary sacrifice deductions for bikes or overpayments will be recovered from any outstanding pay once payroll have been notified of your leaving the University.

When do I get my P60?

A P60 will be issued via the Digital payslips service around the end of May of each year.

Why is the pay figure on my P60 different from the gross pay on my payslips for the year?

Your P60 shows the amount of your taxable pay, that is to say your gross pay less any pension contributions which are tax free. The figures for pay and tax on your P60 should be the same as taxable pay and tax to date shown in your payslip for March.

Information for managers

Salary costs

The spreadsheet below can calculate the gross cost for employing someone. The spreadsheet will calculate employer's National Insurance and pension contributions and apprentice levy (which was introduced in April 2017 and is currently charged at 0.5 per cent on all employee earnings that attract employer's National Insurance).

To understand which pension scheme an employee will be in please refer to the University's pensions pages. The HR web pages detail the different Pay and grading rates.

Hourly pay rates

When an employee who is sick contacts you, begin the reporting process by completing a sickness absence report form. Step by step guidance about reporting sickness absence along with the absence reporting form and the sickness self certification form can be found on the HR website.

Employment Status check

If you plan to offer temporary work to someone who works through their own intermediary (for example their own limited company, a partnership or another person) or as a sole trader the University needs to determine whether HMRC "off-payroll working" rules apply.

These rules make sure that, where an individual would have been an employee if they were providing their services directly, that individual pays broadly the same tax and National Insurance contributions as an employee would.

An Employment Status Service (ESS) form must be completed by the department planning to use a Personal Service Company or an individual to undertake work on a self-employed basis. 

We will check the employment status based on the submitted form and the result will be sent to the department so they you can engage the person correctly. ESS results are only valid for six months. If the engagement is longer than six months, or the worker is employed again a new ESS check will be required.

We will issue a Status Determination Statement (SDS) to the worker. The SDS will detail the outcome of the ESS check, the reasons for the outcome and the appeal process.

These checks must take place before the work in undertaken. Failure to check an employee's status can result in costly fines for the University.

Please direct queries related to the ESS form to employment-status@york.ac.uk.

Appeal Process

If the worker disagrees with the result of the status check they can appeal to the Director of Finance (or his nominated senior manager) by emailing employment-status@york.ac.uk. In the email they should include the following:

  • Name
  • Company name (if applicable)
  • Reasons they believe the determination is incorrect
  • Contact information

A response will be issued within 45 days of receiving notification of the appeal.

Key Payroll contacts

  • Sarah Parkin, YHEC, STEM, GSA and University of York Pensioners Payroll
    sarah.parkin@york.ac.uk
    +44 (0)1904 322455

Key external contacts

How do I contact the HMRC Tax Office?

When contacting the Tax Office with queries always quote the University's tax reference number and your National Insurance number to them. These can be found on your monthly payslip.

You can write to HMRC at the following address:
HM Revenue & Customs
P.A.Y.E.
BX9 1AS

Or telephone them:
Telephone: +44 (0)300 200 3300

What is the University's tax reference number?

The University operates a number of payrolls. You can find the relevant tax reference number on your monthly payslip.

How do I apply for a National Insurance number?

By contacting the Jobcentre Plus NI Allocation helpline on +44 (0)345 600 0643.

Further information about National Insurance numbers and the application process, can be found on the NI number section of the Department of Work and Pensions' (DWP) website (gov.uk).

Contact us

Check the contacts section at the bottom of the page for specific details

Heslington Hall