CURRENT INTERNS

This section is for interns that have already got a student placement or an Internship and employed through SES. By clicking on a section header, highlighted, you will be able to find more information on:

National Insurance Number

Even though you are a student, you are still obliged to pay income tax and employee’s national insurance contributions, which will be deducted from your salary, as applicable.

If you live in the UK, you are automatically sent a National Insurance number when you are 16 years old. Non UK students will have to apply for a National Insurance number, but you can only do so once you have moved to the UK. You can work in the UK without a National Insurance number, but you will be allocated a Basic Rate (BR) tax code which means you will pay basic rate tax – currently 20% – on all of your salary.

You can apply for a National Insurance number by calling the National Insurance Application line – 0845 600 0643, or alternatively, you can contact the local job centre to arrange an interview. It usually takes around 1 – 2 weeks to get an appointment, and then 2 – 4 weeks for you to receive your National Insurance number.

In order to be allocated with the correct tax code you will need to provide SES with either a P45 or a P46. If you have previously been employed, your employer should provide you with a P45 when you leave that employment. If this is your first job, or your previous employer cannot supply you with a P45, you will then need to complete a P46 form. We will send you a P46 to complete, once you have accepted a position.

UK Bank Account

You will need a UK bank account for your salary to be paid into.

We can make payments to an international bank account, but you will incur bank charges, which are approximately £20.00 for each payment made by SES. You may also find the amount you are paid varies, depending on the exchange rate at the time the payment is made.

If you need to open a UK bank account, you will need a UK address. You may also need a letter confirming your employment, which can be provided by SES once you have started your placement/internship.

Salaries

Pay Date: It is important for you to know on which day you will be paid. For all employees the pay month is the calendar month. Basic salaries are paid on the last working day of each month. All pay queries should be raised with SES.

Overtime/Expenses: If you are entitled to claim any overtime payment or reimbursement of expenses you should complete the relevant form which can be obtained from SES. The form must be authorised by your manager and returned to SES by the payroll cut-off dates.

Timesheets: If you need to complete a timesheet either weekly or monthly, please ensure that it is completed, authorised by your manager and returned to SES as soon as possible. Timesheets are available from SES.

Payslips: You will receive a payslip each month, by email. It will show how your pay has been calculated e.g. salary, overtime, bonus (if applicable) and it will show the deductions made and why e.g. income tax, national insurance etc.

Change in Personal Details: You must inform SES immediately if there are changes to your address, next of kin, bank details, e-mail address or any other personal information. These details are most important and you should inform us as soon as they occur, either by email or telephone.

Income Tax

The tax year runs from 6th April to 5th April of the following year.

Everyone, including both UK and international students, are liable to pay tax if they earn, from all sources, in a tax year, more than their Personal Allowance.

The Personal Allowance is the amount of income you can earn before you have to pay tax. The Government determines the Personal Allowance and the tax rates each year in the Budget.

The current standard Personal Allowance for the tax year 2018 to 2019 is £11,850.00, which gives a tax code of 1185L.

If your tax code is BR, this means that you are being taxed at the basic rate – currently 20% – on all of your salary, and you are not receiving any tax free income.

If your tax code has M1 or W1 after it, you still received your personal allowance, but it does not adjust your tax to take into consideration any tax paid from a previous employment during the tax year.

There are two main reasons for having either a BR code or M1/W1 code:
1. You have not supplied SES with a P45, and your P46 indicates that you have been previously employed in this tax year.
2. You do not have a National Insurance number and have not been able to fully complete a P46.

HMRC (Tax Office) – If, for any reason, the tax office needs to adjust the amount of tax you are paying, they will do this by changing your tax code. SES will be notified, electronically through Payroll, of your new tax code, and the date from which it should be used. We cannot influence this process, and we are obliged to use the codes provided by the tax office. If you do not agree with your tax code, you will need to contact HMRC and discuss the matter with them, directly.

Holiday Entitlement

The number of days annual holiday you are entitled to is noted in your Contract of Employment, together with your entitlement to public/bank holidays.
You should comply with any procedures of the host organisation, and have holiday requests approved by them, before you make any firm booking.

If your contract is for less than 12 months, your entitlement will be calculated on a pro rata basis.

If your contract is for longer than 12 months, or your contract is extended, you will receive a pro rata number of extra day’s holiday.

Holiday Requests: To take days off work, you must complete a Holiday Request form. These are available from SES. You must have the form approved by your manager, and then return it to SES.

You are not automatically entitled to payment of any outstanding leave at the end of your contract. This is at the discretion of your host organisation. If agreed, payment will be made with your final salary, and at your normal basic rate of pay.

Sickness

We require regular and reliable standards of attendance and expect employees to take all reasonable steps to keep absence to a minimum.

Notification of Incapacity for Work: You must notify both SES and the host organisation on the first day of sickness. You should try and give some indication of your expected return date. Notification should be made personally, or if you are unable to do so, then by a relative, neighbour or friend.

Evidence of Incapacity: Doctors certificates are not issued for very short term incapacity. In these cases, you must provide a self-certified absence form on your return to work. These forms are available from SES.

If your incapacity has been for longer than the indicated number of days you should see your doctor and make sure he/she gives you a medical certificate, which should be posted to SES without delay. Subsequently, you must supply SES with consecutive doctors’ medical certificates to cover the whole of your absence.

Statutory Sick Pay: You are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you are absent because of sickness or injury, provided you meet the criteria in the current SSP regulations. SSP paid in the same way as your normal wages, i.e. monthly, and is subject to tax and national insurance deductions. Any payment in addition to SSP is at the discretion of your host organisation.

Return to Work: You should notify both SES and your host organisation as soon as you know on which day you will be returning to work.

If you are suffering from an infectious or contagious disease or illness, you must not report for work without clearance from your own doctor.

End of Contract Employment

Your Contract of Employment states the date you will finish your employment, and no notice will be given.

If, for whatever reason, you wish to terminate your employment before the date on your contract, you are obliged to give SES notice, in writing. The appropriate amount of notice is indicated on your Contract of Employment. You should also, as a matter of courtesy, inform your line manager of your intention. It may also be advisable (if you are an undergraduate on an internship) to let your Placement Tutor know.

There may be circumstances when SES has to give you notice of early termination. This will be done, in writing, and in accordance with your Contract of Employment and after consultation with your Line Manager.

When you do leave your employment with SES, we will pay you for the appropriate amount of time you have worked in the month you are leaving, and provide you with a P45. It may be that you are eligible to reclaim some tax back, in which case you should refer to our notes regarding reclaiming tax.

Living Accommodation

If you are moving to London, below are some useful sites you can check out to see if they are any use to you:

www.gumtree.com

www.spareroom.co.uk

www.ttischool.com/index.php?living-in-london-guide

www.findaflat.com

www.ukstudentlife.com

www.gradpadlondon.com/live/griffon-studios

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