Cash wages and working without a signed contract

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

What cash payment means

Being paid in cash does not by itself make a job unlawful. The important questions are whether the employer records the payments, provides payslips and meets its tax obligations. Under HMRC's PAYE guidance ↗, employers normally run payroll and make the required Income Tax and National Insurance deductions. An offer of “cash only, no paperwork” needs clarification before the first shift.

A missing signed contract does not mean that you have no rights. An employment agreement can arise when an offer is accepted and can be verbal, as GOV.UK explains ↗. Calling someone a freelancer does not settle their status if the actual working arrangement is employment.

What to request before starting

Ask for the legal employer's name and address, your role, gross rate, payment arrangements, guaranteed hours, breaks, holiday and notice period. Clarify whether training and a trial shift are paid, who records hours and what happens when a shift is cancelled.

Employees and workers must receive their principal written employment particulars ↗ on their first day, with the wider statement within two months. This obligation is separate from having a complete signed contract. Send a short written summary of what you agreed and keep the reply.

Checking the first payment

Compare your actual hours with the agreed rate, gross earnings, deductions and amount received. A payslip ↗ must be provided on or before payday and must show relevant hours where pay varies with time worked. For cash, request a payment receipt and do not acknowledge receiving more than you actually received.

Keep your own shift records, rota messages, the vacancy advertisement and payslips. Do not take customer information or other people's confidential documents. When comparing offers, include paid holiday and deductions: identical hourly figures can produce different overall earnings.

If paperwork or pay is missing

Set out the missing information or specific underpayment in writing, provide your calculation and request a response by a reasonable date. In England, Wales and Scotland, discuss the next steps with Acas ↗. An internal discussion does not remove claim deadlines. Northern Ireland has a separate employment dispute system.

If you are asked to sign inaccurate records retrospectively, obtain an explanation and independent advice first. Having your own factual timeline makes it easier to resolve a mistake or explain a continuing dispute.