If you work in the UK and pay tax through PAYE (Pay As You Earn), you will encounter two important documents during your working life: the P60 and the P45. Although they look similar and both summarise your pay and tax, they serve very different purposes and are issued at different times. Understanding the distinction is important, especially if you need to complete a Self Assessment tax return.
What is a P60?
A P60 is an end-of-year certificate issued by your employer. It summarises your total pay and total tax deducted for the entire tax year (6 April to 5 April). Your employer is legally required to provide you with a P60 by 31 May following the end of the tax year.
You will only receive a P60 from employers you were still working for on 5 April. If you left a job mid-year, you will not get a P60 from that employer — you will have received a P45 when you left instead.
A P60 typically contains the following information:
- Your full name and National Insurance number
- Your employer's name and PAYE reference
- Your tax code at the end of the year
- Total pay in the tax year (before and after tax)
- Total Income Tax deducted
- Total National Insurance contributions (employee's share)
- Any Student Loan or Postgraduate Loan deductions
- Statutory payments received (SSP, SMP, etc.)
Digital P60s
Many employers now issue P60s digitally through their payroll software or online portal. A digital P60 has exactly the same legal status as a paper one. If your employer uses a payroll system like Xero, Sage, or BrightPay, your P60 may be available to download from your employee portal.
What is a P45?
A P45 is issued when you leave a job. It summarises your pay and tax from the start of the tax year up to your leaving date. Your employer must provide it when your employment ends — whether you resign, are made redundant, or your contract finishes.
The P45 has four parts:
- Part 1 — sent by your employer to HMRC
- Part 1A — for your own records
- Parts 2 and 3 — given to your new employer so they can apply the correct tax code from your first payday
The information on a P45 includes:
- Your tax code at the point of leaving
- Your leaving date
- Total pay from the start of the tax year to your leaving date
- Total tax deducted in the same period
- Your employer's PAYE reference
- Your National Insurance number
Starting a new job without a P45?
If you cannot provide a P45 to your new employer (for example, it is your first job or your previous employer has not sent it yet), your new employer will ask you to complete a Starter Checklist (formerly P46). This determines what emergency tax code to use. You may overpay tax temporarily until HMRC updates your code.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | P60 | P45 |
|---|---|---|
| When issued | After the end of the tax year (by 31 May) | When you leave a job |
| Period covered | Entire tax year (6 Apr – 5 Apr) | Start of tax year to leaving date |
| Who receives it | Current employees (on payroll at 5 April) | Leavers |
| Number of parts | 1 (your copy) | 4 parts (HMRC, you, new employer) |
| Shows NI contributions | Yes | No |
| Shows student loan deductions | Yes | No |
| Given to new employer | No | Yes (Parts 2 & 3) |
| Required for Self Assessment | Yes — primary document | Yes — if you changed jobs |
Using P60s and P45s for Self Assessment
When you complete a Self Assessment tax return, you need to report all employment income received during the tax year. The documents you need depend on your employment situation:
- Stayed in the same job all year: Your P60 contains everything you need. Enter the total pay and total tax from the P60 into the employment section of your return.
- Changed jobs during the year: You need the P45 from the job you left and the P60 from your current employer. The P60 from your current employer should include the pay carried over from your previous employment (it is cumulative), but it is worth cross-checking against your P45.
- Had multiple jobs simultaneously: You need a P60 from each employer you were working for on 5 April. Enter each one as a separate employment on your return.
Double-counting warning
A common mistake is entering figures from both your P45 and P60 when your P60 already includes the earlier employment income. This results in double-counting your income, which means overpaying tax. Always check whether your P60 figure is cumulative (it usually is).
What if you have lost your P60 or P45?
Losing a P60 or P45 is more common than you might think, and it is not a disaster. Here is what to do:
- Lost P60: Ask your employer (or former employer) for a replacement or a written statement of your earnings and tax paid. Employers are not legally required to reissue P60s, but most will provide a statement. You can also find your employment income on your HMRC Personal Tax Account online — HMRC receives this data directly from employers via Real Time Information (RTI).
- Lost P45: Your previous employer cannot reissue a P45. Instead, ask them for a letter confirming your pay and tax deducted up to your leaving date. Again, your HMRC Personal Tax Account will show the same information.
TaxGo tip
If you have a copy of your P60 or P45 (even a photo or screenshot), upload it to TaxGo. Our AI will extract the relevant figures automatically, check them for consistency, and populate your return.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a P60 replaces a P45 (or vice versa): They cover different periods and serve different purposes.
- Not giving your P45 to your new employer: Without it, you may be put on an emergency tax code and overpay tax for weeks or months.
- Discarding your P60 too early: HMRC recommends keeping P60s for at least 22 months after the end of the tax year they relate to. If you file Self Assessment, keep them for at least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline.
- Ignoring discrepancies: If the figures on your P45 and P60 do not add up, contact your employer before filing. Errors in employer records can lead to incorrect tax calculations.