mno2uk wrote: For gross/net pay - In my opinion - since the payment was by cheque from the employer and it was mentioned on the letter that it was - there is nothing like gross or net pay in that case since its a full n final settlement(by paper instrument as cheque) unlike salary(electronic bank credits with deductions etc) with a regular employer. So there were no deductions and hence nothing like a net pay coming out of it. And I strongly feel that it is implied
Alternatively i had mentioned it as a table type data for gross n net pay in the covering letter with it to support it. Also, every employer has there way of giving such letters/certificates and its upto them as an employee cannot make them mould it the way he/she wants them to.
The medium of salary disbursement - be it cheque or be it through bank transfers - is not the issue here. Be it a bank transfer or be it through a cheque, the salary that any employee receives is the "net" salary.
In absence of payslips the two possible documentary evidences that you can submit to prove these earnings (part-time employment) are -
a) bank statements (showing cheque deposits), and
b) letter from the employer in the prescribed format.
And, as you yourself agree, the letter from the emplyer is not in the prescribed format - as it does not mention the "gross" and the "net" salary.
One could question as to why UKBA is bothered about the "gross" pay when an applicant always proves his eligibility on basis of "net" pay itself when one of the 2 evidences being submitted is the bank statement. The bank statements never reflect the "gross" income of any applicant. It only reflects the actual money being paid to an employee - the "net" income! Hence, any applicant providing bank statments as one evidence should be given the right to submit the 2nd evidence which only reflects (and corroborates) the "net" salary. Right??
But the fact remains that Tier 1 assessment is based on certain parameters where the resonsibility of providing supporting documentary evidences as specified in the Tier 1 policy guidance lies with the applicant. It is defintely not based on or subject to the applicant's or the caseworker's individual inferences or opinion in the matter. Period!
I could argue:
1. Why is your employer reluctant to mention the "gross" salary in the letter? Is it because he was flouting income tax laws and therefore afraid that he may land in trouble?
2. Even if your "gross" salary was equal to the "net" salary, which is highly unlikely unless the sum total of your annual salary fell into the "non-taxable" income slab or unless the employer was saving your TDS component as his personal profit, why couldn't he mention the same amount separately as "gross" and "net" in the letter!
(Not implying that this will not raise a flag at UKBA).
3. If everyone who submits a letter from an employer as evidence can convince his/her employer to draft a letter as per the said requirements, then why couldn't you??
4. Any applicant can draft a letter and put in any gross salary as he wishes, but is that a valid proof that he was being paid that much by the employer??
regards