Managing your pay

This article covers common pay administration questions - from tax codes and holiday pay to pension and sick pay.

Tax codes

Your tax code is set by HMRC, not by Zen Educate or your umbrella company. If you need to change your tax code, contact HMRC directly and notify your umbrella company at the same time.

Once HMRC confirms the change, it typically takes around 2 weeks to come into effect. If you are changing an emergency tax code, it may take up to 35 days.

How to contact HMRC about your tax code:

The fastest way is to log in to your Personal Tax Account at here - you can view, update, or query your tax code online.

If you need to speak with an advisor, call the Income Tax Helpline on 0300 200 3300. Their lines are open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm. To avoid busy periods, try calling Tuesday to Thursday after 10:00am.

Before you call, have the following ready:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your P60
• Your most recent payslip

If you have recently started a new job, wait at least 35 days before contacting HMRC - they may still be processing your new employment details.

Holiday pay

You are entitled to holiday pay as part of your earnings. By default, holiday pay is advanced - meaning it is included in your take-home pay each week.

If you would prefer to have it accrued -  saved up and paid out separately, please contact your umbrella company to request this.

Pension

Umbrella companies are required by law to automatically enrol you into a pension scheme if you are aged between 22 and State Pension age and earn over a certain threshold.

You will receive an enrolment pack directly from your umbrella company's pension provider.

If you would like to opt out, contact your umbrella company directly to discuss your options.

Sick pay

To claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), notify your umbrella company as soon as possible. Each umbrella company has its own process for sick pay claims.

Updating your bank details

With Zen PAYE - contact the Zen Educate support team to update your bank details.

With an Umbrella company - contact your umbrella company directly to make any changes.

Further Reading

• If you are not sure who to contact for a specific pay query, see Who to contact for pay queries.
• Locate your Key Information Document in the app. This sets out how your pay works and has the contact details of your payment provider.
• For a breakdown of what appears on your payslip, take a look at our How to read your payslip article.
• If you have a query about your hours or timesheet, see Timesheets and checking your hours.