Answers · UK 2025/26
What is an attachment of earnings order on my payslip?
An attachment of earnings order (AEO) is a court or council instruction that makes your employer deduct money from your net pay to clear a debt - such as unpaid council tax, fines or maintenance - and pass it to the creditor. It is taken after tax and National Insurance, and your employer must comply by law.
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An attachment of earnings order (AEO), or a Direct Earnings Attachment (DEA) for benefit overpayments, is a legal instruction requiring your employer to take a set amount from your wages and send it to a creditor, court or local authority. Common reasons include unpaid council tax, county court judgments, magistrates' court fines, child maintenance, or benefit and tax-credit overpayments. The deduction comes out of net (take-home) pay - after Income Tax, National Insurance and pension - not out of gross pay, so it does not reduce your tax bill. The amount is usually a percentage set by official tables based on your net earnings, with a protected-earnings floor so you are always left with a minimum to live on. Example: net monthly pay GBP 2,000 with a council-tax AEO at the relevant rate of around 17% would deduct roughly GBP 340, leaving GBP 1,660, while the protected-earnings rule prevents deductions dropping you below the set threshold. Your payslip should show the deduction as a separate line (often labelled AEO, DEA or CTAEO). Your employer may also lawfully charge a small administration fee of up to GBP 1 per deduction. You cannot stop the order through your employer - you must deal with the creditor or court directly, and seek free help from a service such as Citizens Advice or the National Debtline if the deductions are unaffordable. To see how a fixed net deduction affects your monthly budget, use the Budget Planner and Take-Home Pay calculators, and read the official guidance at gov.uk/make-benefit-debt-deductions and gov.uk/attachment-earnings-order-aeo.
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This answer is informational only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are for the 2025/26 UK tax year. See our methodology and sources.