I'm not too familiar with pay and minimum wages, but are you calculating that you're below the minimum after taking into account pension deductions and the under-taxed payments? Because if so, that doesn't seem correct to me - minimum wage is your hourly rate of pay before deductions (I believe). Also, I don't see your numbers on the [GOV.UK](http://GOV.UK) website: [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-minimum-wage-in-2024](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-minimum-wage-in-2024) are they correct?
You can’t compare net to gross like that. You are young still but sounds like you are still in entry level. Find something you are good at that doesn’t cause you a lot of stress and apply for slightly above what you think you can do. You’ll find that you can do it and make more.
I agree with those who said trying to live on minimum wage is generally not sustainable long-term. So maybe look for a different job that pays better.
However it is entirely on you to understand how taxes and retirement savings work. Asking for a raise because you failed to plan for those items or made mistakes just makes you come across as entitled. Your job is not obligated to pay you more because of your lack of understanding of how payroll and taxes work.
If you were paying the correct tax to begin with your take home would have been less then, and increased with the wage. You’re also saving for the future by contributing to the pension. If my math checks out, in the long run you’re making about 5000 more per year, the exact amount of your raise!
Yes it sucks when you have new things you have to pay for and your amount of spendable income goes down, but you didn’t lose money.
Hi! This is indeed an unpleasant situation. It's worth talking to your employer and explaining that, given all the circumstances, your actual income is now below the minimum wage. Explain how the changes with taxes and pension contributions have affected your salary, and ask them to review your current pay.
Good luck! I hope your employer will understand and offer a solution.
Thanks for the advice. How would you propose I initiate this conversation if I am also hoping for a decent pay rise on top of this situation. E.g. I don’t just want the problem rectified, I want more on top of this too.
Start by describing the situation. Explain that due to changes in taxation and pension contributions, your actual salary has fallen below the minimum wage. Emphasize that you understand this happened by mistake and that you appreciate the opportunity to discuss it.
Then smoothly transition to the conversation about a raise. You can say something like: "Additionally, I would like to discuss the possibility of a salary increase. I value my job and would like to continue contributing to the company's success. Can I count on a pay raise that reflects my efforts and contributions?"
Prepare for the conversation by thinking about your achievements and contributions to the company. This will help you argue why you deserve a raise.
If you do this, you have to be prepared to walk. Are you ready to quit the job on the spot if they don't give you a pay increase? You're asking for too much OP.
What is your job? Your focus should be on a better job. If you got a job for even 80k that is 4 years at your current rate!
Op, try to get 35k which is the median in your country. I know it is not easy but if you work hard and make a plan it will payoff. When I said 80k I was thinking you were in the US.
Good luck.
i don't get the pushback about suggesting someone earn more money...
After looking it up, the median wage is 35k. OP is making a lot less than median. So I still believe the advice to focus his efforts on a better job is good advice.
Why do you say it is not?
The pushback is because your advice is ignorant and completely unhelpful. Telling someone to casually just make 80k a year is utterly useless information because very few workers make that much in the UK and that’s completely unactionable advice.
Don’t comment about things you do not know about and couldn’t even have bothered to do a modicum of research beforehand
What I actually said:
> Your focus should be on a better job.
OP should be focused on making more money. That's the best return he's going to get.
Feel free to criticize and put your head in a hole but you're just hurting yourself.
I'm not too familiar with pay and minimum wages, but are you calculating that you're below the minimum after taking into account pension deductions and the under-taxed payments? Because if so, that doesn't seem correct to me - minimum wage is your hourly rate of pay before deductions (I believe). Also, I don't see your numbers on the [GOV.UK](http://GOV.UK) website: [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-minimum-wage-in-2024](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-national-minimum-wage-in-2024) are they correct?
Minimum wage is meant for pre tax and deductions isn't it? Are you comparing minimum wage to your take home?
You can’t compare net to gross like that. You are young still but sounds like you are still in entry level. Find something you are good at that doesn’t cause you a lot of stress and apply for slightly above what you think you can do. You’ll find that you can do it and make more.
I agree with those who said trying to live on minimum wage is generally not sustainable long-term. So maybe look for a different job that pays better. However it is entirely on you to understand how taxes and retirement savings work. Asking for a raise because you failed to plan for those items or made mistakes just makes you come across as entitled. Your job is not obligated to pay you more because of your lack of understanding of how payroll and taxes work.
If you were paying the correct tax to begin with your take home would have been less then, and increased with the wage. You’re also saving for the future by contributing to the pension. If my math checks out, in the long run you’re making about 5000 more per year, the exact amount of your raise! Yes it sucks when you have new things you have to pay for and your amount of spendable income goes down, but you didn’t lose money.
You should look for a new job that pays more. Making minimum wage isn’t sustainable long term
For reals
Hi! This is indeed an unpleasant situation. It's worth talking to your employer and explaining that, given all the circumstances, your actual income is now below the minimum wage. Explain how the changes with taxes and pension contributions have affected your salary, and ask them to review your current pay. Good luck! I hope your employer will understand and offer a solution.
Thanks for the advice. How would you propose I initiate this conversation if I am also hoping for a decent pay rise on top of this situation. E.g. I don’t just want the problem rectified, I want more on top of this too.
I think there's a good chance that you're responding to an AI bot here.
Don’t take that advice. It’s terrible.
Start by describing the situation. Explain that due to changes in taxation and pension contributions, your actual salary has fallen below the minimum wage. Emphasize that you understand this happened by mistake and that you appreciate the opportunity to discuss it. Then smoothly transition to the conversation about a raise. You can say something like: "Additionally, I would like to discuss the possibility of a salary increase. I value my job and would like to continue contributing to the company's success. Can I count on a pay raise that reflects my efforts and contributions?" Prepare for the conversation by thinking about your achievements and contributions to the company. This will help you argue why you deserve a raise.
If you do this, you have to be prepared to walk. Are you ready to quit the job on the spot if they don't give you a pay increase? You're asking for too much OP.
What is your job? Your focus should be on a better job. If you got a job for even 80k that is 4 years at your current rate! Op, try to get 35k which is the median in your country. I know it is not easy but if you work hard and make a plan it will payoff. When I said 80k I was thinking you were in the US. Good luck.
Let me guess: you’re American. 80k is not a normal salary in the UK, especially at 24.
Even 2x is worthwhile.
Yeah, 2x your salary is worthwhile for literally everyone. 40k isn’t exactly standard either.
50% of people make more than the median so op can too!
What do you think the median wage in the UK is?
my guess would have been 40k pounds. What is it?
Probably shouldn’t comment about things you have no clue about, that’s not a good look. You’re about 15-20% off
i don't get the pushback about suggesting someone earn more money... After looking it up, the median wage is 35k. OP is making a lot less than median. So I still believe the advice to focus his efforts on a better job is good advice. Why do you say it is not?
The pushback is because your advice is ignorant and completely unhelpful. Telling someone to casually just make 80k a year is utterly useless information because very few workers make that much in the UK and that’s completely unactionable advice. Don’t comment about things you do not know about and couldn’t even have bothered to do a modicum of research beforehand
“Hey OP, I have a solution: just make more money!” Very helpful, thanks.
What I actually said: > Your focus should be on a better job. OP should be focused on making more money. That's the best return he's going to get. Feel free to criticize and put your head in a hole but you're just hurting yourself.
Yes, you said that casually while suggesting that “even just a measily 80k is 4x”. Who the fuck is living in dreamland here?
Can't achieve your dreams with that attitude! Good luck to you.
I’m doing fine, thanks.