REQUIRED time period to quit a job (UK)

hey,

Firstly i'd like to say that i've been working a job that i don't like for around 5 months, and because of reasons at work i decided it was finally time to pack it in.
So i told me boss that i quit, and i wouldn't be in tomorrow, now i know it is not a good thing to do, i know i should give at least 1 week+ notice really, to avoid negative feedback etc. but my boss is really one of the reason i decided to quit, while this wasn't an argument, and i certainly don't throw the term around loosely, i did mean it.

He told me that i have to give 1 weeks notice or i wouldn't get paid. I don't understand how he can do this? i said how can they do that since im not on a contract at all. he said that getting paid via a pay slip was a contract????? i don't even, what?

I haven't worked many jobs and i'm always thought that 1 weeks notice was just the nice thing to do (not mandatory or loss of pay?)
I read the direct.gov's page on quitting work, and while it did say that it was polite to give notice, it didn't say anything about it being required (unless you had a contract that said so)

I know that my boss did this to one of the previous employees also, who missed out on something like 2 weeks pay, it just makes me mad that he can do this.
any help is appreciated.
please don't give any lectures on how polite it would be to give notice and getting future references etc.

Thanks, Lixah

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLea...