Beyond the Payslip: The Hidden Employee Benefits Every 18-Year-Old Needs to Ask About

Securing your first job after school or college is a huge deal and should absolutely be celebrated. It’s easy, however, to fixate on one figure above all else: your salary. While that’s no doubt very important, ‌for those entering the world of work for the first time, it’s important to look beyond what you take home every month.

Many employers offer benefits packages alongside your wages that can often be overlooked, and many first-time job seekers don’t think to ask about them. Whether you’re heading into an apprenticeship, a school leaver programme, or a full-time job straight after sixth form, here’s a no-nonsense guide to the employment benefits worth knowing about and the questions worth asking.

Your Pension Contributions

It might feel slightly strange to think about retirement when you’re 18 years old and only just about to enter the working world for the first time. However, your pension is arguably the most important benefit you can build for yourself. Under UK law, employers must provide a workplace pension scheme, and while “automatic enrolment” usually triggers at age 22, if you’re younger, you have the right to opt-in to the scheme.

Your pension is a pot of money to which both you, as an employee, and your employer contribute ‌every month. Essentially a workplace pension is a long-term tax efficient financial tool used to build a pot of money for your future. A small fraction of your gross salary (the figure you receive before tax) makes up your monthly contribution. Because your employer also puts money in, it’s essentially “free money” added to your savings, and even small contributions now can grow substantially by the time you retire.

Most employment pensions are Defined Contribution (DC) pensions, where your pot grows with more contributions from you and your employer, and that pot grows based on investment performance. While rarer, some public sector organisations use Defined Benefit (DB) pensions, which guarantee a set income in retirement based on your salary and length of service. It’s important to establish what type of pension your employer offers so you can begin saving straight away for your long-term future.

Salary Sacrifice Schemes

Some workplaces offer perks built around the concept of “salary sacrifice,” which is defined by the British Medical Association as “a contractual agreement between an employee and an employer, where the employee exchanges a proportion of their pensionable pay for non-cash benefits.”

In other words, you make your money go further, reducing the amount of tax and National Insurance you pay.

Common examples of salary sacrifice arrangements are:

1. Cycle to Work: This government-backed scheme lets you hire a bike and equipment through your employer, paying for it via monthly salary deductions. Because the costs are taken before tax, you can typically save up to 39% on the total price. If you’re commuting to your place of work in a built-up, urban area, this is well worth asking about.
2. Car hire/lease schemes: Similarly, you take out a lease on a car (often an electric vehicle) via your gross salary. This is often more cost-effective than if you were to lease a car as an individual, independent of your employer.

Other salary sacrifice arrangements can range from childcare vouchers and gym memberships to pre-paid store cards and home-working equipment, depending on the role. Many medium and large employers offer enticing employee discount platforms (like Reward Gateway and Perkbox), so it’s definitely worth asking HR and checking your employee handbook once you have passed your mandatory probationary period.

Health and Wellbeing Support

Many companies offer private healthcare as an employment perk, and while this doesn’t replace the NHS, it can give you quicker access to specialists or same-day virtual GP appointments, often through an app or via your phone. As a young adult, this can be incredibly convenient, meaning you don’t have to wait weeks for an appointment.

While your physical health is important, mental health support is increasingly standard in more workplaces. As someone starting out in the world of work, knowing that this type of support is there can make a real difference.

Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) are confidential services (paid for by your employer) that give you 24/7 access to services such as counselling, helplines, and other resources at no cost to you. Also, many employers now have dedicated mental health first aiders on-site, trained personnel who are there to listen and signpost you to help if you’re struggling.

Learning and Development

If you’re entering a field that you want to progress in long-term, look for employers who invest heavily in their people. Review whether they offer perks like learning allowances, funded courses, qualifications, mentoring schemes, and other benefits which can accelerate you to ‌where you want to be. The National Careers Service is also a useful free resource for understanding what skills and qualifications are valued in your chosen field, helping you ask the right questions at the interview stage.

How to Ask About Your Employment Perks

When you’re interviewing, it’s important to show you’re a candidate who takes their professional career and long-term ambitions seriously. Don’t be afraid to ask the following questions:

• “What support do you have in place for wellbeing?”
• “Could you walk me through the full benefits package?”
• “What options are available for me to develop my career further with you?”
• “Tell me more about the workplace pension options in front of me.”

Asking these questions will make an immediate, strong first impression.

When you’re looking at a job offer, remember that the “package” is more than just the number at the top of the contract. Between pension contributions, health and wellbeing schemes, and learning and development opportunities, these benefits can save you thousands of pounds a year and provide a safety net as you start your adult life.