Guide · 3 minute read · Updated 10 Jul 2026

What is a P60 and what do I do with it?

A P60 is the certificate your employer gives you after each tax year showing your total pay and the tax and National Insurance deducted. You get it by 31 May, and you keep it, because it is the proof you reach for when someone needs to see what you earned.

What a P60 actually shows

The P60 is a one-page end-of-year summary for the tax year that just closed on 5 April. It sets out your total taxable pay, the income tax deducted through PAYE, your National Insurance contributions, and your final tax code. If you had more than one job, or moved jobs and carried the figures over, it includes pay from previous employment in the year too.

Every employee still on the payroll at 5 April must receive a P60 by 31 May, on paper or through a secure online payslip portal. If you left a job during the year you will not get a P60 from that employer; your P45 did that job on the way out.

P60 versus P45 versus P11D

The three forms are easy to confuse, but each has a distinct role. The P60 is an annual summary given to current employees after the tax year ends. The P45 is a leaving certificate: your employer gives it to you when you stop working for them, and you hand it to your next employer so your tax carries across cleanly.

The P11D is different again. It reports taxable benefits in kind, things like a company car, private medical insurance or a season ticket loan, and your employer sends it to HMRC by 6 July. So the P60 covers your cash pay and tax, while the P11D covers the perks that also get taxed.

What to check when it lands

Do not just file it unread. Check that the total pay matches roughly what you expect from twelve payslips, that your National Insurance number is correct, and that the tax code shown is the one you should be on. A wrong tax code is the commonest cause of paying too much or too little across a year, and the P60 is where it becomes visible. If something looks off, ask your employer to correct it and tell HMRC. You can sanity-check the code with the tax code checker.

Why you keep it

A P60 is one of the most requested documents in normal financial life, so keep at least the last few years. You will need it to claim a tax refund if PAYE over-deducted, to prove income for a mortgage or a loan, to support a tax credits or benefits claim, and to complete a Self Assessment return if you file one. It is also your evidence if you ever have to challenge HMRC about what you paid. Lost it? Your employer can issue a statement of earnings that does the same job, since they cannot legally reprint a duplicate marked as an original.

Common questions

When should I receive my P60?

By 31 May following the end of the tax year on 5 April. Every employee still on the payroll at 5 April must get one, either on paper or through a secure online portal. If you have not had yours by 31 May, ask your employer.

What is the difference between a P60 and a P45?

A P60 is an annual summary of your pay and tax given to you while you are still employed, after the tax year ends. A P45 is given when you leave a job and records your pay and tax up to your leaving date, so your next employer taxes you correctly.

What should I check on my P60?

Check that the total pay looks right against your payslips, that your National Insurance number is correct, and that the tax code is the one you should be on. A wrong code is the usual reason people overpay or underpay tax, and the P60 is where you spot it.

What can I use my P60 for?

To claim a tax refund, prove your income for a mortgage or loan, support a benefits or tax credits claim, complete a Self Assessment return, or check your tax code. Keep the last few years, as it is regularly asked for as proof of earnings.

Guidance and education, not regulated financial advice.