Unpaid wages and final pay.
Being paid late, short or not at all is one of the most common work problems, and one where your papers matter most. Payslips, contracts and bank statements do most of the work. Work out what you’re owed, ask in writing, and know your time limit.
How it works
From the missing pay to a claim.
Tap each step to see what usually helps. When final pay is due, and where to claim, differ by place: choose yours below.
A general outline. Every job is different.
General information, checked against official sources on 2 October 2026. It isn’t advice about your case. The rules in their own words ↓
Building your claim
The paperwork does the work.
Seven things to gather:
- Your contract.Your rate, hours, notice and holiday entitlement.
- Every payslip.Including the last one, or a note that it never came.
- Bank statements.Showing what actually arrived, and when.
- Your hours.Timesheets, rotas, or your own diary of shifts.
- Your working-out.What you’re owed for each period, line by line.
- Every message about pay.Promises, excuses, and your written request.
- Free help.Acas, the WRC, the Fair Work Ombudsman, the Labor Commissioner, the Ministry, Employment New Zealand.
Keep working out what you’re owed as a running total, so you can update it quickly.
Free tool
What you’re owed, on one page.
Six boxes to set out your claim clearly. It saves as you type, in this browser only, and prints as a clean page.
Saved only in this browser as you type; nothing is uploaded. On a shared device, print it and clear it when you’re done.
Messages about pay? Turn a chat into a dated transcript →
See it in the app
The payslip, against the bank statement.
- Add your papers.Payslips, bank statements, the contract. Before the language model reads a word, names become tags.
- It spots what doesn’t add up.Net pay £1,982 on the payslip; £1,482 in the bank in June, and nothing in July.
- It quotes the law where you live. Coming in early accessThe sections that apply to your case, in the law’s own words, with a link to the official text. Change the country above and it changes too.
- It sets out what you were paid.Month by month, each figure from its paper. What you’re owed under the law is for the official service.
Sample case. Names and papers are fictional. PROVEAiBLE is built for any case where papers matter.
What the rules say
The law, in its own words.
Five questions about unpaid pay, answered only from the law and official guidance, with the passage that answers it highlighted.
Quoted from the official text. It isn’t advice about your situation, and employment law changes often: check the official site. In the US and Canada employment law is set by each state and province; California and Ontario are shown as examples.
Questions people ask
The questions that keep you up at night.
When should I get my final pay?
It depends where you live: immediately in California if you’re fired; within 7 days or the next payday in Ontario; within 7 days under most Australian awards; on your normal payday in England and Wales and Ireland; on or before the final payday in New Zealand.
Can my employer deduct money from my pay?
Usually only if the law requires it, your contract allows it, or you agreed in writing beforehand. In Ontario oral or blanket agreement isn’t enough; in California accidents and cash shortages generally can’t be deducted.
Is unused holiday paid when I leave?
Generally yes: in England and Wales, Ireland, Australia, Ontario and New Zealand untaken holiday you’ve earned is paid out. In California, paid vacation isn’t required, but where it exists, earned vacation must be paid.
How long do I have to claim?
Anything from 6 months (Ireland, and England and Wales for deductions from 1 October 2026; older ones may still be on 3 months) to 6 years (Australia and New Zealand). Check the official page for your exact date.
Will I get in trouble for claiming?
Many places protect people who ask about their pay rights, including Ontario. Protection and how to complain differ; keep records of what happens after you ask.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always. Many wage claims are brought without one. Free help (Acas, the WRC, the Fair Work Ombudsman and others) can tell you more, and a lawyer for one task can be worth it.
You’re not alone
You don’t have to do this alone.
Many people bring these claims without a lawyer, using services built for them. Free help can tell you whether your situation needs a lawyer; watch the time limits, and ask early.
Showing help for England & Wales. Change it with “Where you live” above.
“I built this after going through a court case myself.” — Andrew, founder
With a lawyer or without one, walk in with your papers in order.
PROVEAiBLE reads your papers, sets out the facts with their pages, shows where the papers disagree, quotes the law for where you live, and prepares your papers for the hearing. It never tells you which legal step to take, or how it will turn out. Law for more countries: coming in early access
Sources, checked 2 October 2026
- England & Wales: Acas; Employment Rights Act 1996; GOV.UK; GOV.UK; GOV.UK
- Ireland: Citizens Information; Payment of Wages Act 1991 (revised); Citizens Information
- Australia: Fair Work Ombudsman; Fair Work Act 2009; Fair Work Ombudsman
- United States (California): California Labor Code; California Labor Commissioner (DLSE); California Labor Code; California Labor Commissioner's Office
- Canada (Ontario): Ontario; Ontario; Ontario
- New Zealand: Employment New Zealand; Wages Protection Act 1983; Employment Relations Act 2000
General information, not legal advice. Laws, rules and court processes change; check the official pages and your own papers before you act.