Since 8 April 2026, the UK Skilled Worker pay rule has shifted compliance review from “annual salary on the Certificate of Sponsorship” to actual payslips reviewed in three-month windows. Officials can now sample any rolling three-month period and check that paid salary equals at least a quarter of the annual minimum. For Nigerian, Ghanaian and Kenyan Skilled Workers paid monthly, the maths is unforgiving — one short month can break the test and trigger a curtailment notice. Knowing the formula and reviewing your last six payslips today is the cheapest insurance you can buy.
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The formula in plain English
For workers paid monthly, quarterly or less frequently, salary paid across any consecutive three-month period must be at least 25 per cent of the annual minimum that applies to the role. The annual minimum is whichever is higher of the general threshold (£41,700 from 22 July 2025) or the SOC code going rate from updated ASHE data. A worker on the £41,700 floor must therefore receive at least £10,425 across any three consecutive months; a worker on a £55,000 going rate must receive at least £13,750 across the same period.
Bonuses, allowances and tips do not count toward the threshold under the current rules — only basic salary. Unpaid leave, sabbaticals and reduced-hours arrangements all eat into the maths. The Home Office can check months 1–3, 2–4, 3–5 and so on — any window that fails the test puts your sponsor’s licence and your visa at risk.
Where workers are getting tripped up
Three patterns are responsible for most curtailments under the new rule. The first is the unpaid sabbatical or extended leave: a worker who takes six weeks of unpaid leave during one three-month window almost always fails the test, even if the year’s total comfortably clears the threshold. The second is the reduced-hours arrangement for personal reasons: switching from full-time to 80 per cent during a quiet period saves the employer money but breaches the rule.
The third — and most common — is the bonus-heavy compensation package. Take Funmi, a Nigerian software engineer on a £40,000 base plus a £15,000 annual bonus, sponsored at SOC 2136. Her CoS said £55,000 total — but her monthly basic of £3,333 multiplied by three is £9,999, just under the £10,425 the £41,700 threshold demands. She crossed the line only when her employer restructured the package to £45,000 base plus £10,000 bonus.
If your salary is borderline, Travel Explore can sanity-check your payslips against current Home Office thresholds — link below. https://linktr.ee/travelexpore
What to do if you discover a gap
If your last three payslips show a gap, do three things in order. First, talk to your sponsor’s HR or compliance lead — they are required to report breaches to the Home Office within ten working days, and a co-operative employer can sometimes back-pay or restructure to close the gap before reporting. Second, request a written confirmation of the corrective action: this paper trail is what your immigration adviser will use if a curtailment letter arrives. Third, if your sponsor will not co-operate, seek independent advice immediately — early intervention can sometimes convert a breach into a route to a new sponsor before your leave is cut short.
Reading your CoS like an auditor
Every Skilled Worker has a Certificate of Sponsorship that lists annual salary, hours per week and SOC code. Pull yours up today via your sponsor or your Skilled Worker visa account on gov.uk and verify that the listed annual salary divided by 12, multiplied by 3, exceeds the relevant quarterly floor by at least 5 per cent — that buffer absorbs short months and unpaid sick days. If the maths is tight, ask your sponsor to issue a new CoS with the correct figures rather than relying on year-end true-ups. The IAS Services overview of the April changes walks through the rule in more detail, including what happens when the Home Office actually opens a compliance check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bonuses count toward the three-month test?
No. Only contractual basic salary counts. Discretionary bonuses, performance pay, allowances and tips are excluded from the calculation.
I am on monthly pay — which three months are checked?
Any consecutive three calendar months. The Home Office can pick the worst-performing window in a 12-month review period and use that as the basis for compliance action.
What happens if my employer cuts my hours by mutual agreement?
If your reduced salary still meets the quarterly floor and you remain in the SOC code listed on your CoS, the change is permissible. If it dips below the floor, your sponsor must report it and your visa may be curtailed unless you can switch to a new sponsor quickly.
Does unpaid sick leave breach the rule?
It can. A full month of unpaid sick leave inside a three-month window will usually push you below the quarterly floor. Many sponsors maintain a top-up policy to bridge such periods — confirm yours in writing.
What is the penalty if my sponsor reports a breach?
The Home Office issues a Curtailment of Leave letter giving you 60 days to find a new sponsor and submit a fresh visa application. If you cannot, you must leave the UK at the end of the 60 days.
Recap in 5 points
- From 8 April 2026, three-month payroll windows determine compliance
- Only basic salary counts — not bonuses, allowances or tips
- A worker on the £41,700 floor needs £10,425 across any three-month window
- Unpaid leave, reduced hours and bonus-heavy packages are the top breach causes
- If you spot a gap, work with your sponsor first and an adviser second
Related reads on Travel Explore
- UK ILR 10 years 2026 — what the April rule change really means
- UK B2 English test 2026 — pass for Skilled Worker visa approval
Share this story
- Your payslip is now your visa — the UK rule Skilled Workers cannot afford to miss
- Bonus-heavy package? You may already be breaching the new pay rule
- Sixty days to fix it — what really happens after a Home Office payroll check
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