Generate - Payment Information

Written by Eleanor Schneiders

Updated over a year ago

Umbrella company pay information

For days of work you deliver, you will be paid through an umbrella company: a third-party organisation that will calculate your tax and other deductions and then pay you for the work you delivered. The money earned on your assignments will be transferred by Zen Educate to the umbrella company as part of their income. They will then pay you your wage. Your payslip will show you as an employee of the umbrella company listed below.

How do I sign up to be paid by Zen Educate?

On your first day of work with us, you will receive an automated email asking you to sign up to Generate. All you need to do is answer a few simple questions and provide us with your payment details, and we handle the rest. Once signed up, you will receive an email from your umbrella company to confirm you are signed up, and you will be paid the following Friday. If you are already registered with an umbrella company, please do not fill in the form you are emailed on your first day. Instead, email support@zeneducate.com as soon as you accept your first day of work and let us know which of the umbrella companies you are registered with and would like to be paid through. We will then let you know if we work with your umbrella company.

I don’t have a sign up email, what should I do?

If you don’t have a payment sign up email by the end of your first week of work then please get in touch with us! The fastest way to reach us is by using the chat to connect with the Customer Care Team.

Do I have a contract with Zen?

No, we do not directly employ candidates. You are employed by the umbrella company you are registered with.

How do I access my payslip?

To access your payslip, all you need to do is visit your umbrella company's website, log in and navigate to view your payslip.

How do I see deductions on my payslip?

With Generate you will receive a weekly payslip, which provides a breakdown of taxable income to net pay. There is also a document called pay statement where you will find a breakdown of deductions in the section called "Allocation of Receipts".

Why do I pay a margin to the umbrella company?

The margin we pay to umbrella companies is for them to arrange the payment & taxation to HMRC.

Why am I enrolled in a pension?

Your umbrella company is obliged by law to automatically enroll you into a pension scheme if you’re aged between 22 and State Pension age and earn over a certain amount. However, they won’t enroll you straight away – they wait for three months after you join Generate in order to get a realistic picture of your typical earnings. You will always receive notice of this from the pension company. Once you are automatically enrolled, you can email the pension to opt out. Do this in the first 30 days of auto-enrollment and any pension deductions made will be paid back to you.

I think I’m paying too much tax - who should I contact?

Please check first what your tax code is. For example, If your tax code is BR or W1M1, then that is an emergency tax code which means you will get taxed 20% for any money you earn and not benefit from a weekly tax allowance. If you have paid work elsewhere, this might be the correct tax code for you. If not, please contact HMRC directly to discuss your tax code.

My tax has changed between payslips - Why?

Your tax code may have changed or your tax increased if you have gone over the tax free allowance for the year. If you have not reached the tax free allowance, you may have been allocated this tax code if HMRC do not have all of the correct information for you. Please contact HMRC for more information.

What is holiday pay?

By default your holiday pay will be advanced (included in your take home pay), but you can choose to have your holiday pay accrued (saved) and paid to you later, on request, for a holiday period. If you would like to accrue your holiday pay, please contact your umbrella company directly and ask for this.

How can I claim sick pay?

If you are unwell and would like to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), this must be done through your umbrella company. It cannot be done through Zen Educate. The umbrella company needs to be notified of your sickness immediately and there are specific situations when SSP can be applied. Guidelines for Generate are available here:

Getting in touch with Generate: