Strand A — Learner Workbook
32pp A5+ booklet. One section per workshop + cross-cutting front and back matter. Designer renders to PDF in MEM brand grid.
Pages 1–3 — Front matter
Page 1 — Cover
Money Basics — UK Edition Read your payslip. Run your money. Know who to call.
MEM Academy · CPD-aligned · 6 × 45 min · UK Tax Year {YYYY/YY}
Name: ____________________ Cohort: ____________________ Start date: ____________________
Page 2 — The boundary (read first)
This workbook will teach you how the UK money system works and how to make better decisions inside it. It will NOT give you financial advice on specific products. For regulated advice — pension consolidation, investments, mortgages, specific debt solutions — speak to:
- MoneyHelper (free, government-backed): moneyhelper.org.uk
- StepChange (free debt advice): stepchange.org · 0800 138 1111
- A qualified IFA: unbiased.co.uk · vouchedfor.co.uk
We're here to help you think clearly. We're not here to tell you what to do with your money — that's yours.
Page 3 — What you'll leave able to do
By the end of 6 sessions you will be able to:
- Read your own payslip line-by-line and spot a wrong tax code.
- Explain UK income tax + NI + marriage allowance in plain English.
- Know your State Pension forecast + your workplace pension match.
- Run a one-page money map for next month and set up one automation.
- Pull your credit report + call a free regulated debt adviser if you ever need one.
- Run a Turn2us benefits-entitlement check and claim what you're owed.
Pages 4–7 — Session 1: Read your payslip
Your payslip annotated
(Sample anonymised payslip with annotation arrows; learner writes their own deductions on the facing page.)
Write your own
| Line on YOUR payslip | What it means | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross | £ | ||
| Income tax | £ | Code: ______ | |
| NI | £ | Category: ______ | |
| Pension | £ | Employer match: ______ | |
| Student loan | £ | Plan: ______ | |
| Net | £ |
Tax-code quick check
My code: __________ What it means: __________ Is it right? (gov.uk/check-income-tax-current-year) Y / N Action if wrong: __________
One action before Session 2
Pages 8–11 — Session 2: Tax in plain English
The UK bands ({YYYY/YY})
| Band | Threshold | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal allowance | £0 – £12,570 | 0% |
| Basic rate | £12,571 – £50,270 | 20% |
| Higher rate | £50,271 – £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional rate | £125,141+ | 45% |
(Slide deck has current-year values; workbook prints with the tax year stamped on the cover.)
Marriage allowance check
- I earn under £12,570 OR my partner earns under £12,570 → I might qualify
- My partner / I am a basic-rate taxpayer → required
- Action: gov.uk/marriage-allowance
Allowances I might be missing (tick to investigate)
- Marriage allowance
- Trading allowance (£1,000 tax-free side income)
- Property allowance (£1,000 tax-free)
- Personal savings allowance
- Dividend allowance
One action before Session 3
Pages 12–15 — Session 3: Pensions in plain English
The boundary reminder
This session teaches what auto-enrolment + State Pension are. It does NOT tell you what to do with your pension. For that, call an IFA.
State Pension forecast
- URL: gov.uk/check-state-pension
- My forecast: £______ per week
- NI years I have: ______
- NI years needed for full: 35
My workplace pension
- Provider: __________
- My contribution: ______%
- Employer match: ______%
- Am I getting the full match? Y / N
The 3 questions before opting out
- Am I leaving free money on the table?
- Will I be able to start again later — and what does the delay cost me?
- Have I spoken to an IFA?
One action before Session 4
Pages 16–19 — Session 4: Budgeting that doesn't make you cry
My money map for next month
| Bucket | What goes here | £ next month |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Rent/mortgage, energy, council tax, food, transport, debt min. payments | |
| Future | Pension top-up, savings, sinking funds | |
| Flex | Phone, subscriptions, gym, eating out, hobbies | |
| Joy | Whatever this month's win is |
My one automation
I will set up: __________ Day of month it triggers: __________ Date I'll set it up by: __________
My 60-second weekly check-in
Day: __________ Time: __________ In my calendar by: __________
One action before Session 5
Pages 20–23 — Session 5: Credit + debt without shame
Pull your credit report (one of these — they're free)
- Experian (via MSE Credit Club, free)
- Equifax (via Clearscore, free)
- TransUnion (via Credit Karma, free)
Date pulled: __________ Score: __________ One thing I noticed: __________
Priority debts I have (if any)
| Debt | Who to | £ outstanding | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Non-priority debts I have (if any)
| Debt | Who to | £ outstanding | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
If I'm behind on anything — the call I'll make
- StepChange: 0800 138 1111 (Mon–Fri 8–8, Sat 9–2)
- National Debtline: 0808 808 4000
- Citizens Advice: local branch or citizensadvice.org.uk
- Breathing space: I can ask for 60 days' protection via any of the above
Date by which I'll make the call: __________
The 4-line script for talking to a partner about debt
- "There's something I want to tell you that I've been carrying alone."
- "Here's the number. Here's how it happened."
- "I'm not asking you to fix it — I want you to know."
- "This is the call I'm making this week. Will you sit with me when I make it?"
One action before Session 6
Pages 24–27 — Session 6: Benefits + allowances
My Turn2us check
- URL: turn2us.org.uk/get-support/benefits-calculator
- Date I ran it: __________
- Anything new I'm entitled to: __________
- Action this week: __________
Things I checked
- Council Tax band (gov.uk) — challenged if low neighbour band? Y / N
- Single-Person discount applies to me? Y / N
- Healthy Start (parent of under-4) — applied? Y / N
- Tax-Free Childcare set up? Y / N
- Help to Save eligible? Y / N
- Carer's Allowance (35+ hrs/wk caring) — applied? Y / N
- Pension Credit (65+ or caring for parent) — checked? Y / N
Grants I'm going to investigate
- Turn2us grant search: __________
Pages 28–31 — Cross-cutting back matter
Page 28 — The 4 URLs to memorise
- moneyhelper.org.uk — start here for any money question
- stepchange.org / 0800 138 1111 — free regulated debt advice
- gov.uk — tax, benefits, State Pension forecast, marriage allowance
- turn2us.org.uk — benefits-entitlement + charitable grants
Page 29 — Want a 1:1 conversation?
The workshops are education. If you want to talk through your own situation — confidentially, with a trained MEM coach — book a 1:1 via {client link}. Coaches do not give regulated advice; they help you think clearly and signpost you to the right authorised adviser.
Page 30 — Safeguarding
If you are in crisis, please reach out:
- Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7)
- Surviving Economic Abuse: 0808 1968845
- Modern Slavery Helpline: 08000 121 700
- Your GP and EAP
Page 31 — Completion + next steps
When you've completed all 6 sessions you'll receive a Money Basics — UK Edition certificate confirming 4.5 CPD-aligned hours. It is NOT a financial-advice qualification.
What's next:
- Going self-employed or running a side income? → MEM4PT Self-Employment hub
- Want to keep practising? → 90-day refresher session
- Want this taught to your whole team? Book a 20-min discovery call: memacademy.org/corporate/financial-wellbeing-employees
Page 32 — Cross-cutting promise
Every UK employee seat in MEM funds a free seat for someone leaving prison. The Money Basics curriculum is the same in our justice-leaver pathway — because the UK payslip doesn't change based on who's reading it.
MEM Academy · UK · {Tax year}