Emergency guide
I haven't been paid my wages
When wages are not paid, bills do not wait. This page lists what to do today, the dates that may be running, who to call and words you can use. The dates on your own papers always come first.
General information, not legal advice. Rules depend on where you live. If you have a letter, notice or form with a date on it, get advice before that date passes.
Checked 7 October 2026 · re-check due 15 January 2027 · To keep a copy, use your browser’s print or share menu.
First: are you safe?
If anyone is in danger now, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK. If your employer is holding your passport or papers, threatening you, or controlling where you live or who you see, that is more than a pay problem: use the help lines for forced work below, and call 911 or 999 if you are in danger. If the money worry has you thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 in the US, or call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, at any hour. If there is no food in the house tonight, call 211 in the US. In the UK, a food bank needs a voucher first: Trussell, below, says how to get one.
Today
- Write down what you are owed: the paydays missed, the amount and the hours you worked. Photograph your pay stubs or payslips, bank statements, messages and work schedule (rota) today, and keep a copy somewhere your employer cannot reach.
- UK: also keep a note of any bank charges or late fees the missing pay causes: Acas says a worker could claim for losses like these.
- Ask your employer in writing when you will be paid and how much. If it has filed for bankruptcy, use the court's notice instead (see the bankruptcy card). A promise to pay 'soon', with no date, is not an answer: do not let it run past the dates on the cards below. Keep what they reply.
- Before you quit, get free advice: quitting can cost you a claim and, in the US, unemployment benefits. In the UK ask Acas (the free workplace advice service), or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland. In the US ask legal aid.
- Before you sign any paper from your employer, get advice: a signed release can give up claims.
- If money is short, tell the people you pay (landlord, lender, energy supplier) now, before a payment is missed, and ask for a plan in writing. The doors below include food and debt help.
- If the business has closed, or says it cannot pay, look for a letter from a court or a firm handling its affairs. US: a bankruptcy court notice has a date to act by.
- UK, if the business has closed or says it cannot pay: ask who the insolvency practitioner (the person appointed to deal with its affairs) is; for a company, Companies House should hold their details.
- If a business in formal insolvency asks you to carry on working, ask in writing how that work will be paid before you do more. In the UK, GOV.UK says pay for work after the insolvency day cannot be claimed from the government.
- Pick the right US office. Your state labor department is where to ask about usual pay, vacation pay and final pay: what it covers depends on your state. The Wage and Hour Division (the federal government's pay office) takes unpaid federal minimum wage and overtime.
- In the UK, ask Acas for advice (in Northern Ireland, the Labour Relations Agency). If you were not paid at all and it is not put right by your next payday, Acas says your employer could be breaking minimum wage law. You can report that to HMRC online.
- UK: ask Acas, or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland, about early conciliation (free help to reach an agreement before a tribunal, the employment court). Early conciliation only stops the time limit if you start it inside the limit. A grievance (a formal complaint to your employer) does not stop it.
- If your pay has stopped, check what help you can claim now. UK: Turn2us has a benefits check, and you should check whether claiming Universal Credit would end a benefit you already get. US: 211 can point you to local help.
- Tell one person what is happening.
The clocks that have started
Deadlines that can start when this happens, soonest first. Your own letters give your dates; when two dates could apply, count from the earlier one. The details of each are on the page online; its address is at the bottom.
Deadlines that can start when this happens, soonest first. Tap one to see when it starts and what happens if you miss it. Your own letters give your dates; when two dates could apply, count from the earlier one.
Jump to: United States · United Kingdom
In the United States
Not paid on payday, or no last paycheck? Your state decides the deadline: ask your state labor departmentWatch the regular payday for your last pay period: if it has passed and you have not been paid, act.United States (set by each state)
- How long
- Watch the regular payday for your last pay period: if it has passed and you have not been paid, act. Your state decides the deadline
- Starts
- your last day of work. There is no federal deadline for a last paycheck; your state may require it sooner, even on your last day.
- If missed
- Your state may have a deadline for a wage claim. Contact your state labor department soon after the regular payday passes.
- It lets you
- contact your state labor department first (the Department of Labor lists every state's office at dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts): some states have laws for usual pay, final pay and vacation pay. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, on 1-866-487-9243, takes unpaid federal minimum wage and overtime; the Department says it generally cannot help recover vacation pay, and the federal law has no collection procedure for usual pay above the minimum
The same steps fit pay missed while you still work there: once the regular payday has passed, contact your state labor department for usual pay, vacation pay and final pay, or the Wage and Hour Division for unpaid federal minimum wage and overtime (see the minimum wage card). Your state decides the deadline: ask it on the first missed payday.
Where this differs: Final-pay rules differ by state. Keep your last pay stub and any message about when you will be paid
Checked 10 October 2026 at US Department of Labor
Your employer filed for bankruptcy: find the court's notice and file a proof of claim (the court's form for money you are owed) by the date on itFind the court's notice and follow the date on it.United States (federal rule)
- How long
- Find the court's notice and follow the date on it. With no notice in hand, count 70 days from the day the case was filed (90 days if creditors, not the employer, started the case); in a Chapter 11 case (where the business tries to keep going) the court sets the date. File early: there is no reason to wait for the last day
- Starts
- the day the bankruptcy case was filed. The court sends creditors a notice (a letter from the bankruptcy court): the date printed on it comes first
- If missed
- The claim may not be allowed, and you may get nothing from the case. If the notice reached you too late to act, you can ask the court for more time: the court may add up to 60 days from its order
- It lets you
- claim what the employer owes you out of the money the court collects. File the claim with the bankruptcy court that has the case, on Official Form 410 (the notice names the court). Wages, commissions, and vacation, severance and sick pay earned in the 180 days before the case was filed, or before the business closed if that came first, are paid before ordinary unsecured debts, up to a limit set by law, if there is money to share (11 U.S.C. 507(a)(4))
Where this differs: Chapter 7 (the business closes and what it owns is sold) and Chapter 11 work differently, and the notice says which one your employer is in. In a Chapter 7 case with no money to share, the notice may say you do not need to file: the court must later give at least 90 days' notice if money turns up. In Chapter 11 you need not file if the employer listed your pay claim in its court papers and did not mark it disputed, contingent or unliquidated, but the notice will not tell you how it was listed, and a claim that should have been filed and was not is not paid. File a proof of claim by the court's date to be safe. While the case is open, a court order called a stay generally stops people owed money from starting or continuing a lawsuit or phoning to demand payment: file the claim instead
Checked 10 October 2026 at Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, Rule 3002 (Cornell Law School)
Paid less than the federal minimum wage, paid nothing, or not paid overtime? Complain to the Wage and Hour Division (the Department of Labor office for pay) nowComplain as soon as you can: the Department says to file as soon as possible.United States (federal rule)
- How long
- Complain as soon as you can: the Department says to file as soon as possible. The federal law gives 2 years to recover unpaid minimum wage or overtime, or 3 years if the employer broke the law on purpose (willful)
- Starts
- each payday on which you were paid too little or nothing. Count from the oldest payday you were underpaid on: the Department says it generally looks back over the past two years, and asks you to complain as soon as possible so it can finish before the time limit runs out. Each month you wait can cost you your oldest pay
- If missed
- Pay older than the limit cannot be recovered under this federal law. A state wage law may have its own limit: ask your state labor department
- It lets you
- ask the Division to look into unpaid federal minimum wage or overtime pay. It is free, the complaint is confidential, and the Division enforces the law without regard to immigration status. The Department says a worker who complains cannot be fired or treated worse for it. If back wages are owed, the Division can ask the employer to pay them. You can also sue yourself: that can win the back pay and an equal amount as damages, plus lawyer's fees and court costs
Where this differs: This clock covers the federal minimum wage and overtime only. The Department says the federal law has no wage payment or collection procedure for usual or promised pay above the minimum, and that it generally cannot help you recover vacation pay or other benefits: your state labor department handles those (see the last paycheck card). If you worked on a federally funded construction, service or production contract, the Department says to contact it, because other rules may apply. If you accept back wages paid under the Division's supervision, you cannot then sue under this law for them: ask legal aid before you choose
Checked 10 October 2026 at US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Many people lost their jobs at once? Ask legal aid or a lawyer soon whether your employer owed notice (the WARN Act)Ask legal aid or a lawyer soon.United States (set by each state)
- How long
- Ask legal aid or a lawyer soon. Federal law sets no time to sue under the WARN Act, so a court uses a time limit from state law, and your state decides it
- Starts
- the day the closing or layoff took effect for you. The written notice the WARN Act asks for should have come before that day
- If missed
- A court may refuse a claim brought after your state's time limit. The Act also lets an employer give less notice in some cases, such as a business that could not have foreseen the closing: a lawyer can say whether that applies
- It lets you
- ask for back pay and benefits for each day of the notice you should have had, up to 60 days, and never for more than half the days you worked there, if the employer owed you 60 days' written notice and did not give it. You sue in federal court, or in the bankruptcy court if the employer is in bankruptcy. The Department of Labor's guide says you may be able to seek these damages
Where this differs: Only some employers and some job losses are covered: the Department of Labor's guide says a business with 100 or more full-time workers, and a plant closing or mass layoff as the Act defines them. The guide says that if you sign a release and get something of value for it, you may have given up WARN and other claims: ask for advice before you sign
Checked 10 October 2026 at U.S. Supreme Court, North Star Steel Co. v. Thomas (1995), Cornell Law School
In the United Kingdom
Tell Acas (the free workplace advice service) before the time limit if you may take your employer to a tribunalNot sure how long you have? Tell Acas within 3 months minus 1 day of the day the problem happened.England, Scotland and Wales
- How long
- Not sure how long you have? Tell Acas within 3 months minus 1 day of the day the problem happened. The limit is 6 months minus 1 day for most problems that happened from 1 October 2026, and 3 months minus 1 day for most problems before then.
- Starts
- the day the problem happened. For dismissal, count from your last day of work, even if you were paid for notice you did not work. For pay, the day you were not paid correctly; for discrimination, the latest date you include. A grievance or appeal does not pause the clock.
- If missed
- you can still make a claim, but it is up to the judge whether to accept it, and in most cases the limits are strictly enforced. Notifying Acas only pauses the limit if you notify within it
- It lets you
- notify Acas first, within your time limit. That pauses the limit while early conciliation runs, for up to 12 weeks. If there is no agreement Acas gives you a certificate with a number on it, which you need for the tribunal claim form (ET1), and you have at least 1 month from the day you receive it to make the claim
For unpaid pay the time starts from the day you should have been paid. If pay was missed more than once, count from the first missed payday to be safe. Use 3 months minus 1 day from that day, unless every missed payday was on or after 1 October 2026: then the limit is 6 months minus 1 day. Acas says that when missed payments are linked, the time may run from the last one, but that is hard to judge from outside, so tell Acas now rather than wait. A tribunal will not look at pay that was due more than 2 years before the day you claim, so waiting can cost you your oldest pay. Acas says a grievance does not pause the limit; telling Acas in time does. Do not let a promise to pay later run past the date. If your employer is insolvent, the insolvency card comes first.
Where this differs: England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, notify the Labour Relations Agency instead; an unfair dismissal claim has three months. Breach of contract in Scotland has 3 months minus 1 day if it happened before 9 November 2026, and interim relief has only 7 days.
Checked 7 October 2026 at Acas
Northern Ireland: tell the Labour Relations Agency before the time limit if you may take your employer to a tribunal for unpaid payTell the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) within 3 months minus 1 day of the day you should have been paid.Northern Ireland
- How long
- Tell the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) within 3 months minus 1 day of the day you should have been paid. Other kinds of claim can have other limits: ask the LRA which fits yours
- Starts
- the day you should have been paid. If pay was missed more than once, count from the first missed payday to be safe, and ask the Labour Relations Agency how a run of missed pay is counted
- If missed
- nidirect says tribunals will only extend the time limit in exceptional circumstances. The clock only stops if you notify the LRA inside the limit
- It lets you
- notify the LRA online, by phone, or by post, and be offered conciliation (free help to reach an agreement with your employer). If you notify inside the limit, the clock stops for up to 1 month while conciliation can take place, and the officer can add 14 days more if there is a reasonable prospect of agreement and both sides consent. If there is no agreement the LRA gives you a certificate, which you need to make a tribunal claim. There is no charge for a tribunal claim
Where this differs: Northern Ireland only. England, Scotland and Wales use Acas: see the Acas card. The longer limits that started in Great Britain on 1 October 2026 do not apply here: the Northern Ireland law for unpaid pay still says three months. A claim to the Redundancy Fund (the insolvency payment) is one of the exemptions from early conciliation
Checked 10 October 2026 at legislation.gov.uk (Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, Article 55)
Your employer is insolvent and cannot pay you: apply to the government's Redundancy Payments Service (England, Scotland and Wales)6 months from being dismissed to apply, and you cannot apply without a 'CN' case number.England, Scotland and Wales
- How long
- 6 months from being dismissed to apply, and you cannot apply without a 'CN' case number. Ask the insolvency practitioner (the person appointed to deal with the insolvency) for it now
- Starts
- the day you were dismissed (made redundant). Not sure? Count from your last day of work
- If missed
- Apply before the date: GOV.UK gives no other way to apply late. For redundancy pay only, the law lets a tribunal still award it if you act within the next 6 months and it finds that just and equitable (Employment Rights Act 1996, section 164). If you are near or past the date, ask Acas or Citizens Advice at once
- It lets you
- claim money your employer cannot pay: redundancy pay (if you worked there at least 2 years), unpaid wages and other pay your contract promises (up to 8 weeks' worth), holiday pay (up to 6 weeks' worth) and statutory notice pay (the notice you should have had, up to 12 weeks). Each week's pay is capped. Choose 'Yes' for notice pay on the first application. That does not mean you have applied: a letter later says when to apply, usually no more than 12 weeks after you were dismissed, and you must apply for redundancy first, even if you are owed none. Money you get, or could have got, by claiming benefits is taken off your notice pay, even if you did not claim it. If the Service turns your claim down or pays less than you think, you can go to a tribunal: you must first tell Acas. Count from the date on the Service's decision letter: 6 months minus 1 day, or 3 months minus 1 day if the decision reached you before 1 October 2026
Where this differs: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own service: see the Northern Ireland card. GOV.UK says you must be an employee, and a UK or EEA national or a foreign national with the right to work in the UK; if you are not eligible, for example as a contractor, register as a creditor in the insolvency instead. The employer must be formally insolvent (for example in administration or liquidation). If it has shut down without that, Acas says you may be able to claim at an employment tribunal, or to contact the Service if the employer is declared insolvent later. If you keep working after the insolvency, GOV.UK says you cannot claim holiday pay, wages, bonuses or commission owed for the time between the day of the insolvency and the day you were dismissed. Acas says agency workers, casual workers and people on zero-hours contracts are not likely to count as employees: ask Acas which rights you have. If you are still waiting for a CN number as the date nears, write to your employer, care of the insolvency practitioner, claiming your redundancy pay, and keep a copy: the law counts a written claim to the employer made within 6 months (Employment Rights Act 1996, section 164)
Checked 10 October 2026 at GOV.UK (Insolvency Service)
Northern Ireland: your employer is insolvent and cannot pay you: ask the insolvency practitioner for the claim forms nowAsk your employer's insolvency practitioner (the person appointed to deal with the insolvency) for the claim forms now, and do not wait: for a redundancy payment, nidirect gives 6 months from the day your job endedNorthern Ireland
- Starts
- the day your job ended
- If missed
- nidirect gives no way back for a late application, so do not wait. If you are near or past the date, ask the Labour Relations Agency or Advice NI at once
- It lets you
- claim from the Northern Ireland Redundancy Payments Service what your employer cannot pay: redundancy pay (if you worked there at least 2 years), unpaid wages (up to 8 weeks' worth), holiday pay (up to 6 weeks' worth) and notice pay (up to 12 weeks' worth, if you worked there at least 1 month). Each week's pay is capped. Claims are made online. The notice pay claim opens later, and pay from a new job, and benefits you claimed or should have claimed in that time, are taken off it. If you disagree with the payment, nidirect says you might be able to claim at an Industrial Tribunal
Where this differs: Northern Ireland only; England, Scotland and Wales use the GOV.UK card. If your employer is not formally insolvent (for example it has simply shut down), the Department for the Economy says the Service can consider only a redundancy payment, after a tribunal judgment, and cannot pay unpaid wages, holiday pay or notice pay: contact the Labour Relations Agency to start early conciliation. It also says to wait until an insolvency practitioner has been formally appointed before you submit a claim. The Service pays only into a well-known UK high street bank account, or by payable order if you have no account. nidirect asks for a written application to your employer, or a tribunal application, within the 6 months: if you are not sure how that fits your case, ask the Service or the Labour Relations Agency. If you do not know who the insolvency practitioner is, nidirect says Companies House should hold their details. The online claim needs your own email address and National Insurance number.
Checked 10 October 2026 at nidirect (Northern Ireland government)
Paid less than the National Minimum Wage? Report it to HMRC online, even if you have left the jobReport it online as soon as you can: you can report an employer even if you no longer work there.Whole UK
- How long
- Report it online as soon as you can: you can report an employer even if you no longer work there. GOV.UK gives no cut-off date for the report
- Starts
- the day you were paid less than the legal minimum for the hours you worked. Not paid at all? Acas says your employer could be breaking minimum wage law if it is not put right by your next payday
- If missed
- HMRC cannot take your complaint forward if you have already started tribunal action for a National Minimum Wage issue. A report to HMRC is separate from the tribunal time limit: nothing on these pages says a report pauses it, so keep the Acas or Labour Relations Agency date in mind
- It lets you
- ask HMRC to investigate. You can tell HMRC on the form not to give your employer information about who complained. HMRC enforces the National Minimum Wage on behalf of the Fair Work Agency (the new government body for enforcing it), and nidirect says that if HMRC finds you were underpaid it will tell your employer to pay you what you are owed
Where this differs: The minimum wage applies across the UK: nidirect sends Northern Ireland readers to the same HMRC online report. The Fair Work Agency page lists what it enforces: the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, employment agencies (in England, Scotland and Wales), labour suppliers to farming and food, serious labour exploitation, and steps against employers that do not pay a tribunal award or an Acas settlement. It says it does not handle all employment issues: for other unpaid pay, use Acas and the tribunal
Checked 10 October 2026 at GOV.UK (Fair Work Agency and HMRC)
If the tribunal time limit has passed, a court claim for the pay you are owed may still be open: ask an adviser before you give upUse the tribunal dates on the other cards first: they are much shorter.Whole UK
- How long
- Use the tribunal dates on the other cards first: they are much shorter. If you have missed them, a court claim for money owed under your contract may still be open for years: 6 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 5 years in Scotland
- Starts
- the day the pay was due and not paid
- If missed
- After the limit a court can refuse the claim. The tribunal route and the court route are different: ask Acas, Citizens Advice or a solicitor which one fits your case before you choose
- It lets you
- claim the unpaid pay as money owed under your contract. Acas says an employer who does not pay is in breach of contract, and that a worker could claim the wages owed and losses such as bank charges. In England and Wales GOV.UK says you can apply to a county court to claim money you are owed, online or by post; in Northern Ireland a small claim of up to £5,000 goes to the County Court, and Scotland uses simple procedure in the sheriff court. GOV.UK says a mediation service could be quicker and cheaper
Where this differs: The number differs by nation. England and Wales: the Limitation Act 1980 says an action founded on simple contract shall not be brought after 6 years. Northern Ireland: the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 gives 6 years for the same kind of action. Scotland: the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 gives 5 years for an obligation arising from breach of a contract or promise. Claims that are not simply for pay under a contract, or against someone who is not your employer, may differ. Winning does not make the court pay you: if the employer has no money, you may not get paid, so ask an adviser before you pay a fee.
Checked 10 October 2026 at legislation.gov.uk (Limitation Act 1980, section 5)
Who to call
Jump to: United States · United Kingdom
In the United States
National Human Trafficking Hotline
if your employer is holding your passport or papers, threatens you, or will not let you leave the job: this is more than a pay problem. Call or text at any hour; for danger now call 911
Call 1-888-373-7888 · Text 233733 · 24/7
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- answer live, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in more than 200 languages, on 1-888-373-7888
- talk with you by live chat, take a tip online or by email (help@humantraffickinghotline.org), and take TTY calls on 711
- take text messages on 233733
They cannot
- replace 911: the Contact page says to contact 911 if you are in immediate danger
State labor offices (U.S. Department of Labor list)
your state labor department enforces state labor laws, which depending on your state can cover pay the federal law does not, such as final pay: this list gives its address and website. Ask it how, and by when, to claim
dol.gov · Online
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the state where you worked
They can
- give you your state labor office's address, phone number and website
They cannot
- take a wage claim or give advice itself: your state labor office does that
Wage and Hour Division (U.S. Department of Labor)
unpaid federal minimum wage and overtime, for workers the federal law covers: free, and it enforces the law whatever your immigration status. It generally cannot recover vacation pay or usual pay above the minimum: for those, use your state labor department, above
Call 1-866-487-9243 · Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time (hours vary by region). Nights, weekends and holidays: calls are answered by the Department of Labor National Contact Center.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the employer's name and the address where you worked; if you are not sure of the name, a photo of anything at the worksite with the company's name on it
- your pay details: the date and amount of each payment, and a copy or photo of each check
- your hours, if you kept a record: the time you started and finished each day, and any meal break
- a phone number where the Division can reach you, or a friend's or relative's number if you have no permanent address
They can
- answer questions about the federal laws it enforces, and take a complaint by phone or at any Wage and Hour office
- look into whether your employer took more from your pay than the federal garnishment limit allows, or fired you over a garnishment for one debt
- keep your complaint confidential: your name and the nature of the complaint are not disclosed, except with your permission or by court order
- talk with callers in more than 200 languages
They cannot
- generally recover vacation pay or other benefits, or collect usual or promised pay above the minimum wage: state labor agencies enforce state labor laws, so ask your state labor department
- decide whether you owe a debt or which garnishment order comes first: Fact Sheet 30 sends those questions to the court or agency that started the garnishment
- promise an investigation: the Division works with you to decide whether one is the best course of action
- answer on its own staff lines outside Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time: the National Contact Center answers then
free legal help in your state: ask whether anyone takes unpaid wage claims, or can read a release or settlement before you sign
lawhelp.org · Online
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the state or territory where you live: the site starts by asking you to choose it
They can
- send you to legal aid and other low-cost legal help near you
- give you legal help guides, including one on court fees and getting them paid
- help you create legal documents for free in areas such as housing, with LawHelp Interactive
They cannot
- give legal advice or take your case itself: it sends you to legal aid and other help in your state
Legal Services Corporation — Find Legal Aid
free legal aid near you for civil problems, usually based on income: ask whether wage claims and bankruptcy claims are covered
lsc.gov · Website, any time
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- an address or a city: the finder uses it to show the legal aid organization that covers your area
They can
- show you the LSC-funded legal aid organization for your area, with its phone number and website, for a civil legal problem
- point you to LawHelp.org for information about your legal questions and free legal forms
They cannot
- take every case: LSC's own study says the legal aid groups it funds turn away about half of the requests they get, for lack of resources. If the first office cannot take your case, ask it who else can help
- give you legal advice itself: LSC pays for legal aid organizations, and you contact the one for your area
if rent or food is short while you wait: say 'I have not been paid and rent is due'
Call 211 · 24/7 in most areas
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- a few facts about your current living situation
- any income you have
- the children or other dependents who live with you
They may ask
- about your current living situation
- about any income you have
- about any children or other dependents who live with you
They can
- connect you to local help with rent, mortgage, utilities, food and health care
- talk to you by phone; some local 211s also offer text and web chat, so check yours
- use 180 languages on request
- give you other ideas if you do not qualify for one program: you can call again
They cannot
- give you money themselves: 211 is the number for information and referrals to services
- help in a life-threatening emergency: call 911 first if you or someone you love is in one or may be a danger to someone else
if the job has ended, or you are thinking of quitting: finds your state's unemployment office. Ask it before you quit whether leaving would affect benefits
Call 1-877-872-5627 · Website any time; help line in business hours
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the state where you worked, since you file with that state
- addresses and dates of your former employment, which your state will ask for when you file
- your zip code, if you want to find the nearest American Job Center
They can
- point you to your state's unemployment website or phone number so you can file
- help you find your nearest American Job Center, which offers job search help and training
- answer questions about employment or training programs on the 1-877-US2-JOBS helpline
They cannot
- take your unemployment claim: each state runs its own program, and you file with that state
- charge you anything: neither CareerOneStop nor any state or federal unemployment program charges a fee to file, so a message asking for money is a scam
National Foundation for Credit Counseling
a nonprofit counselor to plan bills and debts with you while pay is late; most member agencies are free but some charge, so ask about fees first
Call 1-800-388-2227 · Call for current hours; online help any time
Before you call: what to have ready
They may ask
- some intake questions, to work out which credit counseling services fit you best
- what you want a review for, such as credit card debt, household budgeting, or foreclosure prevention, plus your name, zip code, email, phone and preferred language (English or Spanish), if you use the online form
They can
- connect you with an NFCC-certified credit counselor for a confidential consultation
- review your financial goals and budget with you one on one and create a personalized financial action plan
- work with you and your creditors on a debt management plan, which can potentially stop collection calls and legal action if you keep your part of the agreement
- help you find an NFCC member agency in your area, through the Agency Finder or on 800-388-2227
- make you an appointment with a counselor in person, online or by phone, and tell you how to prepare, which may mean gathering certain financial documents first
They cannot
- promise it is free: most NFCC-member agencies offer free credit counseling, but some charge for specific services and fees vary by agency and state law
- contact your creditors unless you set up a debt management plan or other payment plan
- keep your online form between you and NFCC: by sending it you agree they may share it with member agencies and other third parties, who may call, text or email you
- promise the calls and legal action will stop: their page says they can potentially stop, and calls are likely to stop if you keep your part of the agreement
In the United Kingdom
Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline (Unseen)
if your employer is holding your passport or ID, or you are being forced to work: talk to a trained adviser. For danger now call 999
Call 08000 121 700 · 8am to 6pm, Monday to Sunday (reduced hours until further notice)
Before you call: what to have ready
They may ask
- whether you are somewhere safe and can talk safely, and whether you are hurt
- what happened, when it happened and who is involved
They can
- talk with a trained adviser
- help with a referral to a support service, safety planning, or reporting it to the police if you want
- take no action if you do not want it, and talk again later
They cannot
- answer outside 8am to 6pm while its hours are reduced
- replace 999 if you are in immediate danger
free advice on unpaid wages, how to claim, early conciliation and the tribunal time limit (England, Scotland and Wales)
Call 0300 123 1100 · Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the questions you need help with, written out
- what is in your employment contract or relevant workplace policies
They can
- talk through most work-related problems or questions you have
- explain what the law says and how it relates to you
- discuss your options for what to do next, including the risks and benefits
- give you an interpreter straight away if you ask, take Relay UK calls (18001 0300 123 1100) and take British Sign Language calls through the InterpretersLive! video relay service
They cannot
- take sides, tell you what choice to make, give a legal opinion or act on your behalf
- give advice on P45s or P60s
- answer outside Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- promise a free call: the advice is free but you may be charged for the call
LawWorks free legal advice clinics (England and Wales)
England and Wales, if you cannot get legal aid and cannot afford a lawyer: find a free legal advice clinic near you, for problems such as employment. A clinic usually gives a short first appointment and basic advice on what to do next; some have waiting lists, so do not wait on one if a date is close
lawworks.org.uk · Online finder. Each clinic sets its own opening times.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode, city or town, and the area of law your problem is in, to search the finder
- documents about your problem: LawWorks has a guide, arranged by area of law, to the documents that are useful to bring
They may ask
- you to meet that clinic's own eligibility rules, which its page on the LawWorks site sets out
They can
- show you free legal advice clinics near you, which you can search by area of law
- give you, at a clinic, 30 minutes to an hour to explain your problem and basic advice on next steps
- offer advice face to face, by phone, by email or online, depending on the clinic
They cannot
- give you legal advice or representation itself: independent clinics give the advice, not LawWorks
- help if you can get legal aid or can afford a lawyer: the clinics are for people who cannot get legal aid and cannot afford to pay
- take on your case at every clinic: clinics are often only able to give initial advice
- promise you a place: some clinics have waiting lists or close to new enquiries, and are frequently unable to take people facing an urgent legal deadline
Labour Relations Agency (Northern Ireland)
the same help in Northern Ireland, and where you start early conciliation before a tribunal claim
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give you information about your employment rights and responsibilities, for your specific circumstances, on the Workplace Information Service 03300 555 300
- arrange an interpreter if needed
- take your details by phone for an Early Conciliation notification, if you cannot do it online
They cannot
- take a call about a conciliation, mediation, independent appeal or arbitration case on the Workplace Information line: for those their page says to call the switchboard on 03300 552 220
- let you go to tribunal without considering Early Conciliation: you must notify the agency first, though nidirect lists some exceptions
Law Centre NI (benefits, work and immigration advice)
Northern Ireland: free legal advice on work problems, and representation at a tribunal in cases it takes on. It says it does not advise where other help is available, such as for trade union members and higher earners, and it cannot take every case. A callback can take weeks: do not wait for it before you contact the Labour Relations Agency, because the tribunal time limit keeps running
Call 028 9024 4401 · One advice line, with different hours by subject. Benefits (social security): Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30am to 1pm. Work (employment): Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 11am. Immigration: Monday and Wednesday, 10am to 12 noon.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- which of the three subjects your problem is about (benefits, work or immigration), so you ring in that subject's hours
They may ask
- your consent to record your name and your postcode, if you are seeking one-off advice
They can
- give free, independent and confidential legal advice on benefits (social security), work (employment) and immigration
- represent you at tribunals and courts, in cases it takes on
- arrange an interpreter for the immigration advice line
- try to point you to other sources of support if it cannot help
They cannot
- help with any other area of law than benefits, work and immigration, or with people who do not live or work in Northern Ireland
- take every enquiry: it is a charity with limited resources, its service depends on capacity, and on work problems it focuses on people in greatest need and is selective about the cases it represents
- on a work advice call, tell you whether a tribunal claim is worth bringing, or read all the papers in your case; if you have not used your workplace grievance procedure, it is likely to ask you to do that first
- advise on a work problem where other advice is available, which it says includes trade union members and higher earners; a discrimination-only case it refers to the Equality Commission
- answer outside the line's hours for each subject, or on a drop-in basis: the general office cannot discuss your case or give advice
- advise on every kind of immigration case: its focus is forced migration, such as asylum claims, refugee family reunion and modern slavery and trafficking, and it does not normally help with tourism or visiting family and friends, work, business or academic visits, study, transit, coming to Northern Ireland for medical treatment, or joining a partner or family (unless you or they are a refugee)
- advise on immigration where another immigration solicitor is already involved, or on Irish immigration law
Redundancy Payments Service (Insolvency Service, GOV.UK)
if your employer is insolvent and has dismissed you: claim redundancy pay, unpaid wages, holiday pay and notice pay. You need a CN case number from the insolvency practitioner first (England, Scotland and Wales)
Call 0330 331 0020 · Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm. Friday, 9am to 3pm.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your 'CN' case reference number from the insolvency practitioner, and your National Insurance number
- your bank or building society details, so you can be paid
- your employment details, including the dates you were employed and how much you were paid
- the date you were made redundant, if you lost your job: it is on your official letter of redundancy
- an email address
- details of any money you still owe your employer
- details of any money you are owed by your employer, the number of holiday days you are entitled to and have taken, and any letters sent to or received from your employer or an employment tribunal
They can
- help with queries about completing the online forms, by phone or by email
They cannot
- take your claim without a CN case number from the insolvency practitioner
- answer outside Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm and Friday, 9am to 3pm
- pay more than the legal limits: GOV.UK says payments are capped
Northern Ireland Redundancy Payments Service
the same in Northern Ireland, if your employer is formally insolvent. It pays into a high street bank account, not a digital-only one
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your National Insurance number, date of birth and your own email address: the online system needs an individual email address
- your employment start and end dates, your pay details and the amounts unpaid, your holiday entitlement and holidays taken
- your bank account details, and payslips or employment documents if you have them
They can
- answer questions about your claim
- give extra support if you have additional support needs and are struggling with the application: contact the Service
They cannot
- pay unpaid wages, holiday pay or notice pay if your employer is not formally insolvent: it can consider only a redundancy payment
- pay into a digital-only bank account such as Revolut, Monzo or Chase
Fair Work Agency: complain about pay and work rights
if your pay was below the National Minimum Wage, or an employment agency is involved: complain on the online form (HMRC runs the minimum wage side, and you can report even after you have left). For help with the form, call Acas; in Northern Ireland, ask the Labour Relations Agency. In Northern Ireland, employment agencies are checked by the Employment Agency Inspectorate on 028 9025 7796, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
gov.uk · Online form any time. Serious abuse line, 0800 432 0804: free, answered 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday; you can leave a voice message outside those hours.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- for a report of serious abuse: what the abuse is, where it is happening or happened, any pictures or documents, and your name and contact details (you do not have to give your name)
They can
- take a complaint about pay below the National Minimum Wage, an employment agency, a gangmaster or working hours through the online form, even if you no longer work for the employer
- keep your name from your employer if you tell HMRC on the form
- take a report of serious abuse or exploitation by the online form, by email (contact@fairworkagency.gov.uk) or on the free line 0800 432 0804
They cannot
- give advice on your employment rights, resolve a workplace dispute or run early conciliation: Acas does those
- take your complaint forward if you have already started tribunal action for a National Minimum Wage issue
- answer the 0800 432 0804 line outside 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (you can leave a voice message), or replace 999 if anyone is in immediate danger; the Agency says the form and email are quicker than the phone
Citizens Advice (Adviceline, England)
free help with money you are owed, benefits and debts (England)
Call 0800 144 8848 · Usually 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Not available on public holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode if you call from a mobile: if you do not have one, say one nearby such as a GP surgery, takeaway shop or taxi company
They may ask
- your postcode, from a mobile, to find your local Citizens Advice
They can
- connect you to your local Citizens Advice (Adviceline, England)
- talk to you by online chat: Universal Credit claims 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, debt 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9:30am to 1pm Saturday
- help with a new Universal Credit claim through Help to Claim, free and confidential, from the application to the first payment
- take Relay UK calls (18001 then 0800 144 8848)
They cannot
- answer on public holidays: Adviceline is not available then
- cover all of the UK on this number: it is for England, Wales has a separate Advicelink line, and there are a few parts of England not yet covered
- help everywhere: most local Citizens Advice can only help if you live or work in their area
Usually busiest at the start of the day. At busy times you might wait up to an hour, and a call not answered within an hour is disconnected, so try again later. Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.
Citizens Advice Cymru (Advicelink Wales)
the same help in Wales
Call 0800 702 2020 · Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm. Saturday 9am to 1pm.
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- connect you to an adviser through Advicelink (Wales) on 0800 702 2020, free from mobiles and landlines
- talk to you by online chat about any other kind of problem, usually 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
- take Relay UK calls: 18001 then 0800 702 2020
- point you to the Citizens Advice consumer service for problems with energy, water or post
They cannot
- answer on public holidays: Advicelink is not available then
- help you in person if you live outside your local office's area: most local Citizens Advice can only help if you live or work in their area
Usually busiest at the beginning and end of the day. At busy times you might wait up to an hour, and a call not answered within an hour is disconnected, so try again later.
Citizens Advice Scotland (Scottish Citizens Advice Helpline)
the same help in Scotland
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode: the page finds your local Citizens Advice Bureau by postcode
They can
- put you through to an adviser at your local bureau by phone on 0800 028 1456, the Scottish Citizens Advice Helpline
- give free, confidential and impartial advice, and help you work out next steps
- raise a complaint with an energy supplier for you through its Extra Help Unit, if you may be considered vulnerable or at risk of disconnection
- give advice online, on its advice pages
Scottish Legal Aid Board (find a legal aid solicitor)
Scotland: find a legal aid solicitor who may be able to advise you, and in some cases represent you at an employment tribunal. The Board itself gives no legal advice, and each solicitor decides whether to take your case, so you may need to try more than one
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the list of what to bring, from your solicitor: ask them before the appointment
- your most recent bank statements showing your income, savings and any household payments you make
- recent wage slips, or accounts if you are self-employed
- current benefit award letters or notifications
- pension payment advice from a former employer, or your pension or benefit book
- details of all your savings and accounts: bank, building society or post office statements or passbooks
- any documents to do with your case
- the same money details for your partner, unless you are separated or they are the person you have the legal problem with
They may ask
- what kind of help you need (civil, criminal or children's hearings) and your location in Scotland, in the finder
- about your savings and income over the past 7 days, on the form your solicitor gives you
They can
- show you registered legal aid solicitors near you
- explain whether legal aid is available in principle, how to apply, and what your solicitor needs to give them
- agree for your solicitor to start work straight away in an urgent case, before your application is assessed. Legal aid does not cover work done before the Board agrees, so check with your solicitor that it has
- take calls from British Sign Language users through Contact Scotland BSL
They cannot
- give you legal advice: it only gives information on applying for legal aid
- tell you by phone whether legal aid will be granted for your case
- take an application from you directly: you can only apply through a solicitor
- make a solicitor take your case: each solicitor decides, even if registered for legal aid, so you may need to try more than one
free advice on benefits and debt in Northern Ireland. For unpaid wages, start with the Labour Relations Agency, above
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give advice on benefits, personal debt and managing bills, through the freephone helpline on 0800 915 4604
- answer by email at advice@adviceni.net
- point you to an Advice NI member near you if you need face-to-face advice
They cannot
- see you in person themselves: for face-to-face advice you contact a local advice centre run by an Advice NI member
checks which benefits you may get while your pay is late, and searches for grants
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- about 10 minutes: the Grants Search says it takes that long
They can
- check which means-tested benefits you may be able to claim, free and confidential, with the Benefits Calculator
- search for charitable grants, which is money that does not have to be paid back, with the Grants Search
- help you find an adviser near you with the Find an adviser tool
- walk you through each stage of a Personal Independence Payment application with the PIP Helper
They cannot
- give personal one-to-one support: Turn2us no longer offers it
- take a grant application from you: the Grants Search points you to other organisations that give grants
- give you a phone number of their own: if you cannot use the online tools, their site points to Help through Hardship, which gives free confidential phone advice in England and Wales but does not offer direct payments, grants or loans
Universal Credit helpline (GOV.UK)
claim Universal Credit by phone if you cannot claim online. Check first whether claiming would end a benefit you already get. In Northern Ireland, use the next card instead
Call 0800 328 5644 · Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your bank, building society or credit union account details
- identity documents, for example a driving licence, passport, debit or credit card, or payslip or P60
- information about your housing, such as how much rent you pay, and your earnings, such as payslips
- your National Insurance number, if you have one
- details of other benefits you get, any disability or health condition that affects your work, childcare costs if you want help with them, and your savings and investments
They can
- take a Universal Credit claim by phone if you cannot claim online
- give you help with your claim: the page says you can call the helpline or use the Help to Claim service
- take calls in Welsh on 0800 328 1744 and Relay UK calls on 18001 then 0800 328 5644
They cannot
- answer outside Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- take a claim if you live in Northern Ireland: GOV.UK sends you to Universal Credit in Northern Ireland
- let one partner claim alone if you live together: you will both need to create accounts and link them
- keep a claim open without limit: you must complete your claim within 28 days of creating your account or you will have to start again
Universal Credit Service Centre (Northern Ireland)
Universal Credit in Northern Ireland: call free about your claim, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
Call 0800 012 1331 · Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, except public holidays
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your decision notice and the date on it
They can
- take your request for a mandatory reconsideration of a Universal Credit decision by phone
- tell you about the exceptional circumstances in which the time limit can be extended
- take Relay UK calls, and British or Irish Sign Language calls through a video relay service
They cannot
- answer outside Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, or on public holidays
- deal with Housing Benefit or Rate Relief: the Housing Executive does
if there is no food in the house: find your nearest food bank. You need a food voucher first, from a local organisation; the page says how to get one
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- how many adults and children the parcel is for, and the ages of any children: volunteers check these from your voucher
- any dietary requirements: say so when you get your voucher so the food bank can prepare
They may ask
- the community organisation that gives you a voucher asks about your individual needs, so it can help you find the right support
They can
- help you find your nearest food bank
- give an emergency food parcel with at least three days of meals once you have a food voucher from a local community organisation
- sometimes provide pet food and essentials such as toiletries and period products, where they can
- sometimes offer extra support, such as debt advice or a trained Citizens Advice adviser
- sometimes deliver food parcels: ask when you get your voucher, or contact the food bank
They cannot
- give you a parcel without a food voucher: you need a referral first
- usually give you a voucher online: you will usually need to contact a community organisation by phone or in person, and in some cases the food bank directly
free debt advice and a plan for what you owe while your pay is late
Call 0800 138 1111 · Phone: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm. Online advice any time.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- details of all the money you owe: if you are not sure, your credit file lists your missed payments
- a budget showing what you can and cannot afford: StepChange says to share one with the people you owe
They can
- give free debt advice online at any time of day or night, and let you stop and begin again later
- tell you your options for dealing with what you owe, including debt management plans
- help you ask the people you owe to pause action or agree new payment terms
Say it this way
Change anything to your own words.
I have not been paid for [dates]: [amount] is still owed to me. Could you tell me in writing, by [date], when it will be paid and how much? If something is holding it up, please tell me what. I would like to sort this out with you. Please confirm you have received this.
My employer has not paid me what I am owed for [period]. I am working to get it paid and I want to keep paying you. Could we agree a plan for this month, and could you put it in writing?
My employer, [name], is in [administration / liquidation]. I worked there from [date] to [date] and I am owed [wages / holiday / other]. Could you send me my CN case number (if I worked in England, Scotland or Wales) and tell me how employees should claim? Please reply by email so I have it in writing.
Thank you for sending this. I will read it and ask for advice before I sign. Could you tell me in writing what it is for, what I would give up by signing, and the date you need my answer?
Not for you if…
This guide is for someone who is owed pay by an employer, whether you still work there or not. An employer that keeps back part of your pay with no court order or official letter behind it is covered here. If money is taken from your pay because of a court order, a debt or an official letter, see 'Money is being taken from my wages'. It does not say whether the employer owes you: it says where to take the problem. If you also lost the job, or were told to leave, the guide 'I just lost my job' covers that part, and this page covers the money you are still owed. If you were hurt at work, see 'I was hurt at work'. If you are self-employed or a contractor, the pay and minimum wage routes here may not cover you: a court claim for an unpaid invoice may, so ask Citizens Advice or legal aid. In the US, some workers are outside the federal minimum wage and overtime rules: the Wage and Hour Division will tell you. If you were fired or punished after asking for your pay, get advice before you do anything else. You need a lawyer or an adviser, not just this page, if your employer offers a settlement or asks you to sign a release; if your employer is in bankruptcy or insolvency and the amount is large or disputed; if a date on a card above may already have passed; or if your visa or permission to stay depends on this job: speak to an immigration lawyer or adviser as well. If your employer is holding your papers, threatening you, or controlling where you live, call the help lines in the first box.
A different emergency? Account frozen or closed · Behind on mortgage · Benefits stopped · A car accident · Car repossessed or towed · Bullied at school · Suspended or excluded from school · Help at school · Council tax or rates · Debt collector or court papers · Deposit not returned · Sent home from hospital · Eviction notice · Flood, fire or storm · Health cover ending · Unsafe home · Hurt at work · Paid a scammer · Lost my job · Lost wallet or phone · A medical bill · No money for food · Nowhere to sleep · Parking or traffic fine · Shutoff notice · Someone died · Stalking, harassment or shared pictures · Someone is missing · Identity theft · Stranded away from home · A tax bill · Told to leave home · Pay being taken