Are You Working Whilst Studying? Here’s Useful Tax Advice for You
Students also must pay attention to very important tax advice, particularly people who are studying while working part-time. Even people that are working only in the holidays need to get tax advice. They may be required to pay income tax as well as National Insurance. At the same time, they may also take advantage of some employment rights.
This tax advice guide will help you with inquiries like what rights you’re qualified for as a student, in addition to when to pay National Insurance contributions and taxes.
Tax Advice Employers are Supposed to Follow
Your work may only be part-time, or on a casual or short-term basis, but your company still has tax responsibilities to fulfill, which include:
- Deducting a certain amount from your income to pay National Insurance and income tax
- Handing payslips to their personnel in addition to P60 every tax year
- Giving workers P45 once they leave their job
Before accepting cash payments from your employer, be aware that it’s illegal to pay employees in cash without any kind of reductions for National Insurance and income tax. If you’re planning to accept cash payments, odds are you’re going to miss out on employment rights, and end up paying National Insurance contributions and tax on your own.
Working Students’ Employment Rights
There are benefits and employment rights students are eligible for. You do not need tax advice to understand that you are qualified for these privileges, even when you’re work is part-time, short-term, or casual. These privileges include:
- Being paid holiday pay
- Getting the national minimum wage at least
- Receiving protection from discrimination
What Will Happen for Those Who Do not Pay National Insurance and Tax?
Paying tax on your wages is needed for students, except if they are a full-time student residing within the United Kingdom, are going back to studying full time right after the holidays, or only work over the holidays.
For students, their total income of the entire tax year must be less than the Personal Allowance.
This Personal Allowance is allowed for every person, and for the tax year 2011-12, the Personal Allowance is 7,475. When your total wages are less than this amount, you don’t need to pay income tax. Students should really remember this tax advice if they do not wish to pay the taxman too much.
Yet another thing, to claim income tax without tax reductions, the P38S Student Employees form must be filled in and submitted.
As for National Insurance contributions, these payments are designed to ensure that you get state benefits together with the State Pension once you retire. The contributions need to be paid if your earnings go more than 139 weekly. What this signifies is that even if you work just a single week each year, and earn more than 139, you still need to pay for National Insurance.
If your earnings are below 139 a week, you do not need to pay the contributions.
Even if you are not a student, use this tax advice if you happen to work part time or full-time.