You checked your account and saw two payments in the same week. Now you’re wondering if you got overpaid, if you’ll be taxed more, or if someone’s made a mistake. If you’re working through an umbrella company, this can happen—and when it does, it’s essential to understand why.
What’s a tax period, and how does it affect you?
A tax period is your umbrella’s timeframe for processing payroll and reporting to HMRC. Most use weekly or monthly tax periods, and your pay is taxed based on the total amount earned.
In simple terms, a weekly tax period runs from Saturday to Friday. If you’re paid every Friday, each payment falls into a new tax week. But if you submit timesheets late or your umbrella changes your payday, you might get two payments in one tax week.
Monthly tax periods run from the 6th of one month to the 5th of the next. So, if your umbrella pays you twice within those dates, you will be paid twice in the same tax month.
This doesn’t mean you’re overpaid. It just means two payrolls landed close together.
Why would you get paid twice?
You could be paid twice in one tax period if there’s a delay in processing timesheets, if you work multiple assignments, or if bank holidays shift payroll dates.
Here are some reasons this might happen:
- You submitted a timesheet late, and it rolled into the following week.
- Your umbrella held back pay to wait for funds from the agency.
- You worked for two different clients and got paid separately.
- Your umbrella ran an early payroll before a holiday weekend.
- You received a bonus, reimbursement, or backdated payment.
None of these mean you got more than you should. It just means the payments landed together in one tax period.
Does this affect how much tax you pay?
Yes, getting paid twice in one period might cause higher tax and National Insurance deductions on that payslip, but it balances out across the year through PAYE.
PAYE (Pay As You Earn) adjusts based on your earnings in each period. So, if your earnings double, your umbrella might deduct more tax upfront.
But that doesn’t mean you’re paying too much tax overall. HMRC uses a cumulative system unless you’re on a “Week 1/Month 1” code. That means they track your earnings and tax across the whole tax year. If you pay more in one period, it evens out later.
Let’s say you earn £600 a week usually. One week, you get two weeks’ pay—£1,200. You might see a higher deduction that week. But by the end of the year, your total tax should match what’s legally owed.
It won’t adjust automatically if you’re on a non-cumulative tax code. You may need to claim back any overpaid tax directly from HMRC.
How does this show up on your payslip?
Your payslip will show two separate lines for gross pay, one for each assignment or payroll run, but all taxes and deductions will be totalled together for that period.
It can be confusing. You might see two lines of gross earnings, one set of tax, and one line each for pension or other deductions.
Here’s what to look for:
- Check if both payments are listed separately under gross earnings.
- Look at the tax line to see the total deducted.
- Match the date and period number (Week 16, Month 3, etc.).
- Confirm that National Insurance is only taken once on the combined amount.
If the payslip doesn’t explain things clearly, ask your umbrella. They should be able to give you a breakdown of how much came from each job and how the deductions were worked out.
Is it a problem to be paid twice?
No, getting paid twice in a tax period isn’t a mistake, and it won’t hurt your yearly income, but it might cause short-term confusion with payslips and deductions.
It might look like you’re being taxed too much, but in most cases, it sorts itself out. The key is understanding how the tax period works and how to read your payslip.
This issue is prevalent for umbrella workers because payroll runs depend on when timesheets are approved, and agencies release funds. Some umbrellas pay on receipt, while others batch everything weekly.
If it keeps happening and you see higher taxes every time, check your tax code. You won’t get those balancing adjustments automatically if you’re on a Week 1/Month 1 code.
What should you do if you’re unsure?
Ask your umbrella company for a payslip breakdown if you see something you don’t understand. Contact HMRC or a tax advisor if you’re still confused.
Start by emailing payroll. Ask them:
- Why you were paid twice this period.
- What tax code you’re on.
- Whether it’ll affect your overall tax.
If you’re not happy with their answer or you think something’s wrong, you can call HMRC and check your records. They’ll confirm your tax code and how much tax you’ve paid year-to-date.
You can also log in to your HMRC personal tax account to check everything online.
If you overpaid tax because of a non-cumulative code, you’ll usually get it back through your next few payslips. If you stop working before that happens, you can claim a refund through your P45 or at the end of the tax year.
Final thoughts
Getting paid twice in one tax period might feel like an error, but it’s not. It’s usually a result of timing—when the umbrella gets your timesheets, when they run payroll, and how they receive funds.
What matters most is how it’s taxed. The system is designed to smooth things out over time, but it’s not perfect. You still need to check your payslips, understand your tax code, and ask questions when things don’t add up.
Track your pay. Understand your deductions. And never be afraid to ask how your money was worked out. After all, it’s your payslip. You deserve to know what’s going on with it.
