UK Edition: Monthly Budget and Payslip Worksheets for Life Skills, SEND, KS4 and Post-16

A monthly budget set for KS4 and post 16 SEND learners, built around UK money: a payslip with PAYE income tax, National Insurance, a 1257L tax code and a workplace pension, then rent, council tax, a bus pass and the rest of a real month.

Why I made this

Most of students can tell me what they want to buy with their first wage. Far fewer can tell me what is left after rent and council tax. A budget is a list and some subtraction, but it only works if you start from take home pay and then check it against what you really spent. This set follows one young adult, Sam, from payslip to spending log.

What's included

• Teacher page with a short note on how the payslip figures were worked out

• Words to know: 10 key words with pictures (wage, payslip, gross pay, net pay, tax code, National Insurance, budget, fixed cost, flexible cost, savings)

• 3 practice documents: a monthly payslip, a monthly budget with fixed and flexible costs, and a spending log with a planned vs spent table

• 12 Level A questions with pictures and three choices

• The same 12 questions at Level B, with open answers and room to show working

• A real life task: choose between a room in a shared house, a studio flat or living at home paying board, then build a budget from £1,430 take home pay

• Answer key that shows where to find every answer

Two levels, same questions

Level A suits learners who need visual support and choices. Level B suits learners ready to write and show working. Because the questions match, the whole group can work from the same documents and go through the answers together.

How I use it

Read Words to know together, then go through the payslip as a group before anyone picks up a pencil. Learners are usually surprised by how much is taken off, and that conversation is half the lesson. The real life task works well as evidence towards an independent living or employment outcome in an EHCP, or for an Entry Level or Functional Skills maths portfolio.

Who it is for

KS4, sixth form, FE college and post 16 SEND groups, learners on SEN Support, and supported internship or life skills programmes.

Please note

All names, businesses and figures are made up. Pay and deductions are realistic for 2026 but are for teaching only and are not tax advice.

What you download: one printable PDF, A4, answer key included. Licence: single teacher or setting.

Written by Jeremy D. Gooch, a teacher with 20+ years in education. Part of the Functional Life Skills UK series from The Transition Cliff.

Keywords: SEND, EHCP, Preparing for Adulthood, KS4, Post 16, budgeting, payslip, PAYE, National Insurance, tax code, council tax, money management, life skills, independent living, functional maths, Entry Level