Working & building a career in the UK
Clear, expert guides on every aspect of working in the UK — employment rights, pay, tax, self-employment and visa work rules. Written by specialists, sourced from GOV.UK and HMRC.
Information only — not employment or legal advice. All guides explain UK employment law and tax rules based on GOV.UK and HMRC guidance and cannot be relied upon for your specific situation. For individual advice on employment rights, tax or visa work conditions, consult a regulated professional. Find a specialist →
All work categories
Choose your work topic
Nine categories covering every aspect of working life in the UK — from your first job search to self-employment, pensions and your rights as a visa holder.
UK job market overview, writing a British CV, right to work checks, recruitment agencies, major job boards and what to expect from UK interviews.
- How to Write a UK CV
- How to Find a Job in the UK
- Right to Work Checks Explained
- Best UK Job Boards 2026
- UK Job Interview Tips
Employment status, contracts, working hours, zero-hours contracts and your statutory rights under the Employment Rights Act 2025 — including staged changes through 2026–27.
- Employment Status in the UK
- Work Contracts in the UK
- Zero-Hours Contracts — coming soon
- Employment Rights Act 2025 — coming soon
PAYE, tax codes, National Insurance contributions, the personal allowance, understanding your payslip, self-assessment and what to do when you first start work.
- Understanding Your UK Payslip
- Income Tax & NI — coming soon
- National Minimum Wage 2026 — coming soon
Holiday entitlement (28 days statutory), sick pay, maternity and paternity leave, parental leave, compassionate leave and what changes under the ERA 2025.
- UK Holiday Entitlement — coming soon
- Statutory Sick Pay 2026 — coming soon
- Maternity & Paternity Leave — coming soon
Sole trader vs limited company, registering with HMRC, self-assessment tax returns, IR35 for contractors, invoicing, allowable expenses and finding an accountant.
- Sole Trader vs Limited Company
- Register as Self-Employed — coming soon
- IR35 for Contractors — coming soon
Workplace pensions, auto-enrolment, the State Pension for overseas workers, Universal Credit eligibility, Child Benefit and what you can claim as an expat.
- Workplace Pension Guide — coming soon
- Universal Credit as an Expat — coming soon
- State Pension for Overseas Workers — coming soon
Getting your overseas degree or professional qualification recognised in the UK via UK ENIC (formerly NARIC). Regulated professions: medicine, law, engineering, teaching.
- UK ENIC Statement of Comparability — coming soon
- Overseas Doctors Working in the UK — coming soon
- Teaching Qualification Recognition — coming soon
Median UK salary benchmarks by industry and region based on ONS ASHE data. London weighting, average earnings by experience level and real take-home pay breakdowns.
- Average UK Salary by Sector 2026
- London Salaries vs Rest of UK — coming soon
- UK Take-Home Pay Calculator — coming soon
What you can and cannot do on each visa type. Changing employers on a Skilled Worker Visa, student work hour limits, sponsor licence changes and switching to another route.
- Changing Jobs on a Skilled Worker Visa
- Student Visa Work Hours — coming soon
- What Work Can I Do on My Visa? — coming soon
The UK labour market employs 34.3 million people and is one of the largest in Europe. For expats and new arrivals, navigating employment rights, tax obligations, pay benchmarks and visa work restrictions can be complex — especially with the Employment Rights Act 2025 introducing significant staged changes through 2026 and 2027.
This section covers everything from writing a UK-style CV and finding your first role, to understanding your payslip, registering as self-employed, getting your overseas qualifications recognised, and knowing exactly what you can and cannot do on your visa. All content is verified against GOV.UK, HMRC and ACAS guidance.
Unsure whether you are classed as an employee, worker or self-employed? Use the status tool below — your employment status affects your tax, your rights and what you can claim.
Stay ahead of employment law changes
UK employment rights and tax rules are changing in 2026 and 2027.
Get notified when something changes that could affect your pay, rights or status.
Not sure what type of worker you are?
Find your employment status
Your employment status determines your tax obligations, your rights and what you can claim. Answer three questions for a starting point.
How do you primarily work?
Who controls how and when you work?
Do you bear financial risk if something goes wrong?
Guidance only. For a definitive answer use HMRC's CEST tool on GOV.UK.
Essential Reading
Start with our most important guides
What every deduction means, how PAYE works, how to check your tax code and what to do when something looks wrong. The single most important guide for anyone starting work in the UK.
Jean Angius · 2026
Finding a JobCharlie Burton · 2026
Working on a VisaJessica Pritchard · 2026
Self-EmploymentJean Angius · 2026
All confirmed guides
Employment news
Latest rule changes
UK employment law and tax rules update regularly. Recent changes that may affect your pay, rights or status.
Day-one sick pay and paternity leave rights take effect
From 6 April 2026 Statutory Sick Pay is payable from day one of absence and paternity leave becomes a day-one right for all employees.
National Living Wage rises to £12.71 per hour
The NLW for workers aged 21 and over increases to £12.71/hr from 1 April 2026. The 18–20 rate rises to £10.85/hr and the under-18/apprentice rate to £8.00/hr.
Zero-hours contract reform consultation closes April 2026
Workers on zero-hours contracts will gain the right to a contract reflecting regularly worked hours. Employers must provide reasonable notice of shift changes or pay compensation.
Unfair dismissal qualifying period cut from 2 years to 6 months
From January 2027 employees will gain unfair dismissal protection after just 6 months of employment — down from the current 2-year qualifying period.
Need professional help?
Our directory connects you with employment lawyers, HR consultants, tax advisers and career specialists.
Common questions
Working in the UK FAQs
Answers to the most common questions about employment, pay, tax and rights in the UK.
From 1 April 2026 the National Living Wage (for workers aged 21 and over) is £12.71 per hour. The rate for 18–20 year olds is £10.85/hr. Workers under 18 and apprentices receive £8.00/hr.
Most workers are entitled to 28 days of paid holiday per year (statutory minimum), which can include bank holidays. Part-time workers receive a pro-rata equivalent. Holiday accrues from your first day of work.
Yes. Most employees are taxed through PAYE from their first payslip. Your employer deducts Income Tax and National Insurance directly from your salary. You will not pay Income Tax on earnings below the personal allowance (£12,570 for 2025/26).
Yes, but with restrictions. Most Student Visa holders can work up to 20 hours per week during term time, and full-time during official vacation periods. You cannot be self-employed or take a permanent full-time job.
UK ENIC (formerly NARIC) compares overseas qualifications to UK equivalents. You can apply for a Statement of Comparability online. For regulated professions such as medicine, law or teaching, you must also apply to the relevant professional body.
If you have been employed for two years or more you are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, a notice period, and the right to appeal if the redundancy was unfair. The qualifying period reduces to 6 months from January 2027.
These answers are for general guidance only. For advice on your specific situation please consult a regulated employment or tax specialist.
Working in the UK offers significant opportunities for skilled workers and expats — a well-regulated labour market, strong statutory protections, and one of the most transparent tax systems in the world. But the rules governing employment status, visa work conditions and employer obligations are genuinely complex, and the Employment Rights Act 2025 is adding further staged changes through 2026 and into 2027. Staying informed matters.
The guides in this section are built on primary sources — GOV.UK, HMRC, ACAS — and updated whenever legislation or official guidance changes. That said, employment and tax law is rarely straightforward in individual cases: two people in nominally similar situations can face very different outcomes depending on their contract terms, visa conditions and personal circumstances.
Use these guides to build your understanding and ask the right questions — then, where the stakes are high, get professional advice from a regulated specialist. Our Expat Directory lists employment solicitors, tax advisers and career coaches who work with people in exactly your situation.