Unpaid Wages Claim Solicitors London
Employer not paying your wages, holiday pay or final pay? We help you recover what you are owed.
If your employer has failed to pay wages you are owed — including salary, overtime, holiday pay, sick pay or final pay — you can bring an unpaid wages claim in the Employment Tribunal for unlawful deduction from wages, or in the county court for breach of contract. Our London employment solicitors help employees and workers recover what they are owed.
Call 0207 100 2525 — available 24/7. Video consultations by Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
What is an unpaid wages claim?
An unpaid wages claim is a legal claim to recover pay your employer was required to give you but did not. In the Employment Tribunal it is brought as a claim for unauthorised deduction from wages under Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Paying you less than you are owed — or nothing at all — counts as a deduction in law.
An employer can only lawfully deduct from your pay if:
- the deduction is required by law (for example, tax and National Insurance);
- your contract allows it and you were told in writing beforehand; or
- you agreed to it in writing before the deduction was made.
Anything else is likely to be unlawful. GOV.UK sets out these rules in its guidance on deductions from pay and wages.
What can you claim for?
You can claim any sum of wages that was properly payable to you and was not paid. Common examples include:
| Type of unpaid pay | Examples |
|---|---|
| Basic wages or salary | Missed, late or short payments |
| Overtime, bonus or commission | Contractual sums that were earned but withheld |
| Holiday pay | Unpaid leave taken, or untaken leave not paid on leaving — see holiday entitlement |
| Statutory Sick Pay | From 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first day of sickness — see Statutory Sick Pay |
| National Minimum Wage | Pay below the legal rate — see National Minimum Wage rates |
| Final pay and notice pay | Wages withheld after you resign or are dismissed |
If you believe your pay is below the minimum wage, you can also complain to the government via GOV.UK pay and work rights.
How to claim unpaid wages from your employer
Most unpaid wages disputes follow four steps: raise it informally, raise a formal grievance, notify Acas, then issue a tribunal claim.
- Raise it informally. Payroll errors happen. Ask your employer in writing to explain and correct the shortfall.
- Raise a formal grievance. If it is not fixed, put a written grievance in, following the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures. Keep copies of everything.
- Notify Acas. You must contact Acas for early conciliation before you can make a tribunal claim. Our ACAS assistance service explains how we support you through this stage.
- Make an Employment Tribunal claim. If conciliation fails, Acas issues a certificate and you can make a claim to an employment tribunal.
Going through a grievance does not pause the tribunal deadline — only notifying Acas does.
Evidence you need for an unpaid wages claim
The strongest claims show what you should have been paid and what you actually received. Gather:
- your employment contract, offer letter or written statement of terms;
- payslips and P60s;
- bank statements showing payments received;
- timesheets, rotas or clocking-in records;
- emails, messages or grievance letters about the missing pay.
From 6 April 2026, employers must keep holiday and holiday pay records for six years, which can help prove holiday pay claims.
Unpaid wages tribunal time limit (updated for 1 October 2026)
For underpayments on or after 1 October 2026, you have 6 months less one day to start an unpaid wages claim. For underpayments before that date, the limit is 3 months less one day. The change was made by the Employment Rights Act 2025 and is confirmed in Acas guidance on employment tribunal time limits.
| Date you were not paid correctly | Time limit to notify Acas |
|---|---|
| Before 1 October 2026 | 3 months less one day |
| On or after 1 October 2026 | 6 months less one day |
- The clock starts on the date of the underpayment — not when your employer refuses to pay.
- For a series of deductions, time runs from the last deduction in the series (ERA 1996, section 23).
- Notifying Acas pauses the clock while early conciliation takes place.
- A tribunal can extend the deadline only if it was not reasonably practicable to claim in time — this is rarely granted, so act early.
How far back can you claim unpaid wages?
In the Employment Tribunal, you can generally recover unlawful deductions going back up to two years before the date your claim is presented. This backstop was introduced by the Deduction from Wages (Limitation) Regulations 2014.
If you need to go back further, or you are out of time for the tribunal, a breach of contract claim in the county court may still be possible. You generally have six years to bring a contract claim under section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980. Claims up to £10,000 are usually dealt with on the small claims track — see GOV.UK’s guide to making a court claim for money.
What if your employer is insolvent?
If your employer has gone into administration or liquidation, you can claim some unpaid wages from the government through the Redundancy Payments Service. According to GOV.UK, you can claim:
- up to 8 weeks of unpaid wages (including overtime, bonus and commission);
- up to 6 weeks of holiday pay;
- statutory notice pay;
all capped at £751 a week (£719 if you were made redundant before 6 April 2026). If you were also made redundant, see our redundancy claim page.
What if your employer keeps refusing to pay?
Repeated non-payment or late payment is usually a fundamental breach of your contract. As well as recovering the money, you may be entitled to resign and claim constructive dismissal. This is a separate claim with its own qualifying rules — our unfair dismissal claim team can advise before you resign.
Many unpaid wages disputes are resolved without a hearing. If your employer offers to pay as part of an exit deal, our settlement agreement solicitors can check the terms before you sign.
How our unpaid wages solicitors can help
Adam Bernard Solicitors acts for employees and workers across London who are owed wages, holiday pay or final pay. Our SRA-regulated employment solicitors will:
- calculate exactly what you are owed and the deadline that applies;
- draft your grievance and pre-claim letters;
- represent you through Acas early conciliation;
- prepare and present your Employment Tribunal or county court claim;
- negotiate settlement where it is in your interests.
We offer competitive fixed fees and structured payment plans. With offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London), and over 15 years’ experience, we have helped more than 15,000 clients.
Are you an employer facing an unpaid wages claim? See defending employment tribunal claims.
Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a consultation today.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Time limits are strict — speak to a solicitor about your circumstances.
Unpaid wages claim: frequently asked questions
Can I claim unpaid wages after I have left my job?
What is the time limit for an unpaid wages claim?
Can my employer deduct money from my wages?
How far back can I claim unpaid wages?
Do I have to go through Acas before claiming?
Can I claim unpaid wages if my employer has gone bust?
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