Your gross pay is pay before deductions. Your net pay is the amount reaching your account after payroll deductions. A payslip also identifies the pay period, tax code and individual amounts deducted.

Income Tax and employee NI are collected through payroll. Pension contributions and student-loan repayments can also appear, but depend on the relevant arrangements. Do not assume every employee has every deduction.

Compare the payslip with your contract and bank receipt. Ask payroll about an unfamiliar amount before treating a simple tax-band illustration as a prediction of net pay.