Unlawful deduction from wages letter

The letter

[date]

Dear [who you are writing to],

Query about a deduction from my wages

On [which payslip] an amount of [the amount deducted] was deducted from my pay.

No reason for the deduction was given on the payslip.

Under section 13 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 a deduction from wages is only lawful where it is required by statute, authorised by a term of the contract, or agreed by the worker in writing before the deduction is made.

Could you please confirm which of those applies, and provide a copy of the contractual term or written agreement relied on?

If the deduction was made in error I would be grateful if it could be repaid in my next pay.

Yours sincerely,

[your name]

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What happens next

A tribunal claim must normally be brought within three months of the deduction, or the last in a series.
Retail workers have extra protection: deductions for cash shortages are capped at 10% of gross pay in any pay period.
Acas early conciliation is a required step before a tribunal claim, and it pauses the time limit.

This letter rests on Employment Rights Act 1996, section 13. It is a starting point, not legal advice — change anything that does not fit your situation.

Nathan Cole

I write the guides on HoursHQ and check every statutory figure against GOV.UK, Acas and the legislation itself before it goes live. Where the law is genuinely unclear, I say so rather than guessing.