Training repayment clauses and deductions

The rule on deductions from pay

Section 13 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 says an employer must not make a deduction from a worker's wages unless one of three conditions applies:

• a law requires or allows the deduction, such as income tax or National Insurance
• a term of your contract allows the deduction, and your employer gave you the term in writing, or told you about the term in writing, before the deduction
• you agreed in writing to the deduction before your employer made the deduction

A signed training agreement which says "I agree my employer may deduct these costs from my wages" usually meets the third condition. An agreement to "repay" costs, without wording about deductions, leaves more room for argument. Your employer would then have to ask you to pay, instead of taking the money from your wages.

The minimum wage limit

Acas says deductions for mandatory training must not reduce your pay below the National Minimum Wage. A deduction can take pay below the minimum only if all of these apply:

• you agreed in writing to repay the costs, for example in a letter or email
• the training was voluntary
• you chose to leave, or were dismissed for conduct reasons

Mandatory training includes courses your employer requires for your role, such as basic life support or safeguarding updates. Acas also says your employer should pay you for time spent on mandatory training if you are near the minimum wage. Use the GOV.UK minimum wage calculator (opens another website) to check your final pay period.

What a fair repayment clause looks like

A clear clause names the course, states the cost and explains how much you repay if you leave within a set period. Many use a sliding scale, where the sum falls the longer you stay after the course ends. Acas gives an example of repayment if you leave within six months.

A demand far above the real cost of the course, or for training with no real value to you, raises a different question. Courts do not enforce a contract term which is a penalty. An adviser can test the sum against the clause and the true cost.

Common healthcare courses

Repayment clauses often appear for independent prescribing courses, clinical diplomas, foundation training for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, specialist nursing qualifications and leadership programmes. Ask who paid for the course. If NHS England, a deanery or another public body funded the training, check if your employer bore any of the cost. Apprenticeships in England follow separate funding rules, so ask an adviser before you agree to repay apprenticeship costs.

A pharmacy example

Say a pharmacist resigns 14 months after starting an independent prescribing course paid for by the employer. The final payslip shows a deduction for the full course fee. The agreement, signed before the course began, sets a sliding scale: full repayment within 12 months of completion, half within 24 months. The pharmacist finished the course 8 months ago, so the full fee looks right on the face of the clause. Next, the pharmacist checks the remaining pay against the minimum wage and asks for the invoice for the course fee.

How to challenge a deduction

1. Ask your employer for a copy of the signed agreement and an itemised calculation.
2. Compare the dates: when you signed, when the course started, when you finished and when you left.
3. Check your final payslip against the minimum wage for every hour in the pay period.
4. Raise a written grievance if you disagree, or write to your employer if you have already left.
5. Contact Acas for early conciliation before any tribunal claim. Note the time limit: six months less one day from a deduction on or after 1 October 2026, or three months less one day for an earlier deduction.
6. Do not pay a disputed sum until you have advice, unless a court orders you to.

If your employer asks you to pay after you leave, instead of deducting from wages, the demand is a contract debt. A claim for the debt would go to the civil courts, not a tribunal.

Questions to ask an adviser

• Which written document authorised the deduction, and when did I sign the document?
• Was the training voluntary or mandatory for my role?
• Does the deduction take my pay below the National Minimum Wage?
• Is the sum a fair reflection of the real cost, or a penalty?
• What is my deadline for a tribunal claim?

Where to get advice

• Acas helpline: call 0300 123 1100. Acas specifically advises contacting the helpline if a training deduction would take pay below the minimum wage.
• Your union or professional body: the PDA, the BMA or the RCN can challenge a deduction on a member's behalf.
• Citizens Advice: help with money owed and repayment demands. See Citizens Advice for work problems.
• An employment solicitor: worth considering for a large repayment demand.

A repayment demand can cause sudden money stress. Our money worries guide lists financial support for healthcare staff, and our tribunal deadlines guide explains the timing rules.

Read alongside this guide

• Healthcare employment contract review
• Notice periods when leaving healthcare work
• Employment tribunal deadlines
• Money worries