P60 Explained

What is a P60? It is an end-of-year certificate your employer issues to confirm your total pay and the income tax deducted under PAYE. Every employer you still work for on 5 April must provide one by 31 May.

Understanding what a P60 is matters because its figures determine whether you paid the right amount of tax. It is HMRC-recognised proof of income, accepted by lenders, accountants, and government bodies alike.

This guide covers what a P60 shows, why it matters, and what to do if yours is missing. It also explains when a P60 tax refund may apply and how a P60 differs from a P45.

Whether you have just received your first P60 or need to find yours online, this guide covers each step. All the key facts about what is a P60 are explained below.

What Is a P60 and Who Issues It?

A P60 form is an official HMRC document that every employer must complete at the end of each tax year. Your employer has until 31 May to provide it, covering the year that ended on 5 April.

If you hold more than one job simultaneously, each employer issues a separate P60 covering only what they paid you. Pension providers also issue a P60 to anyone who receives a taxable pension each year.

If you left a job before 5 April, your former employer does not issue a P60 for that employment. You would instead have received a P45 on leaving, which records your pay and tax up to that date.

Your P60 may arrive by post, by email, or through an online payroll portal, depending on your employer’s systems. The format varies between employers, but the HMRC-required content is the same on every certificate.

What Does a P60 Show?

Knowing what a P60 shows helps you verify whether your tax record is correct. The certificate contains several financial entries that feed directly into HMRC’s record of your tax position, listed below:

• Your P60 records total pay from your current employer for the tax year, expressed as taxable gross income before deductions.
• It shows the total income tax your employer deducted through PAYE across the full year.
• National Insurance contributions paid during the year are included, split by category where applicable.
• If you changed jobs during the year, pay and tax from any previous employment in the same tax year also appear.
• Statutory payments received — including statutory maternity, paternity, or sick pay — are recorded separately.
• Your final PAYE tax code, as used by your employer at the year end, is shown in its own box.
• Student loan deductions are included if these applied to you during the year.

If any of these entries is wrong, the error may carry forward into the following tax year. Checking your P60 when it arrives is the most straightforward way to catch a problem early.

P60 Meaning: Why Your P60 Matters

The P60 meaning extends well beyond a summary of your annual pay. It is HMRC-recognised proof of earnings, accepted by lenders, accountants, and government bodies as formal evidence of your income.

You may need to produce your P60 in several common situations:

• Mortgage and loan applications require proof of annual income, and a P60 is one of the most widely accepted documents lenders use for this purpose.
• Self assessment tax returns depend on your P60 figures to complete the employment section accurately, particularly if you also have other income to declare.
• Correcting your HMRC record becomes easier when you can produce a P60, especially if HMRC holds incomplete data for a tax year.
• A tax refund claim may require your P60 as documentary evidence before HMRC processes any repayment.

Keeping P60 forms for at least six tax years is generally advisable. HMRC may raise queries going back this far, and having the originals to hand tends to prevent delays.

How to Check Your P60 for Errors

P60 errors are not uncommon, particularly if your tax code changed or you started a new job during the year.

Catching a problem early tends to prevent it carrying over and affecting your tax position going forward.

The following entries are worth checking carefully when your P60 arrives:

• Your National Insurance number or NINO should match every other HMRC document you hold, as even a single character error can create gaps in your NI record.
• Gross pay should agree with the total shown on your final payslip of the tax year; a discrepancy may indicate a payroll recording error.
• Total tax deducted that looks higher than expected for your earnings level may mean your tax code was incorrect at some point during the year.
• National Insurance deductions are worth cross-referencing against your payslips, particularly if you moved between NI categories during the year.
• The final tax code box matters beyond the current year, as your employer may carry an incorrect code forward unchanged into the next tax year.

If you spot a discrepancy, contact your employer’s payroll team first. They can issue a corrected P60 marked as a replacement, or provide a statement of earnings that updates the record.

Addressing errors promptly is important because unresolved mistakes tend to compound. A wrong tax code left uncorrected may affect every monthly payslip in the year ahead.

What the Final Tax Code on Your P60 Means

Your P60 includes a box labelled “final tax code”, recording the PAYE code your employer used at the year end. This may differ from earlier in the year if your circumstances changed, such as a new job or an HMRC adjustment.

However, the final tax code matters beyond the year it covers. If it is wrong, your employer may carry it forward unchanged, meaning you could pay the wrong amount of tax for months.

If the code on your P60 looks unfamiliar, the HMRC personal tax account is a useful first step. It holds a full history of your tax codes and when each one was applied.

P60 Tax Refund: How to Tell If You Are Owed One

A P60 tax refund arises when HMRC concludes that you paid more income tax than you owed during the tax year. This most often happens when an incorrect tax code was in place, particularly after a change of job.

When HMRC identifies an overpayment, it typically issues a P800 tax calculation notifying you of the amount. The repayment is usually made online via your personal tax account or by cheque, depending on your circumstances.

If no automatic refund arrives and your P60 figures suggest you overpaid, you may be able to claim directly. HMRC generally allows claims for up to four tax years back, so checking previous P60 forms is worthwhile.

The letter “R” on your P60, next to the tax paid figure, means a refund should have already given through your salary in that tax year. Where an “R” appears, claiming the same amount again would not normally be possible.

Lost P60: How to Get a Replacement

If you have a lost P60, your employer is the first place to contact. They must keep PAYE records for at least three years and can issue a duplicate or a signed statement of earnings.

A statement of earnings carries the same information as a P60 and is widely accepted as a substitute, including for mortgage applications. Most lenders and accountants are satisfied with one in place of the original certificate.

The HMRC personal tax account at GOV.UK holds the equivalent pay and tax data for several past years. You can access it with a Government Gateway login, and the HMRC app provides the same figures on mobile.

If your former employer is no longer trading, HMRC’s income tax helpline on 0300 200 3300 may be able to assist. In some cases, HMRC can provide an employment history letter covering the relevant year.

What Is a P60 vs a P45?

A common question about what is a P60 is how it differs from the P45. Both forms record your pay and tax under PAYE, but they serve different purposes and arise in different circumstances.

The P60 end of year certificate is issued once a year by every employer you still work for on 5 April. It covers the full tax year and is yours to keep as a personal record.

A P60 can be replaced if lost, through your employer or via the HMRC personal tax account. The P45, by contrast, is issued only when you leave a job and cannot be replaced in the same way.

Handing a P60 to a new employer in place of a P45 would not achieve the right outcome. A P60 confirms your annual tax position, whereas a P45 transfers the in-year data your new employer needs to tax you correctly.

If you need a P45 and don’t have one you can complete a starter checklist when you start your new employer.

Your P60 Checklist

Knowing what a P60 is and how to read it helps you spot errors and claim money you may be owed. It is your annual record of earnings and tax paid — the starting point for most PAYE questions.

Checking your P60 each year and keeping forms for at least six tax years are habits that tend to pay off. Knowing how to replace a lost certificate means you are never left without the evidence you need.

For more detail on the income tax forms connected to your employment, visit our income tax forms section..

Key Takeaways

• Your P60 end of year certificate is issued by your employer by 31 May, covering the tax year that ended on the previous 5 April.
• The P60 shows total pay, income tax deducted, National Insurance contributions, your final tax code, and any statutory payments for the year.
• P60 errors are worth checking promptly, as an incorrect final tax code may be carried forward and affect your monthly deductions in the year ahead.
• Lenders, accountants, and HMRC all accept a P60 as formal proof of earnings, making it one of the most important documents you receive each year.
• Tax overpayments identified from your P60 may be refunded automatically via a P800, or you can generally claim within four tax years.
• A lost P60 can be replaced by your employer or accessed through the HMRC personal tax account — the P45, issued when you leave a job, serves a different purpose entirely.

What is a P60 FAQs

Q: What is a P60?

A: A P60 is an end of year certificate issued by your employer or pension provider. It confirms how much you earned and how much income tax and National Insurance were deducted under PAYE during the tax year. Your employer must provide it by 31 May.

Q: What does a P60 show?

A: A P60 shows your total gross pay, total income tax deducted, National Insurance contributions, pay from any previous employment in the same year, statutory payments received, your final PAYE tax code, and student loan deductions where applicable.

Q: Why does the P60 meaning matter beyond a payslip?

A: The P60 meaning extends beyond a payslip because it is HMRC-recognised proof of your annual earnings and tax paid. It is commonly required for mortgage applications, self assessment returns, and HMRC record queries, and is worth keeping for at least six tax years.

Q: What should I do if I have a lost P60?

A: Contact your employer’s payroll department for a duplicate or statement of earnings. The HMRC personal tax account at GOV.UK also holds the equivalent data for past years, which you can access with a Government Gateway login.

Q: How do I know if I am owed a P60 tax refund?

A: A P60 tax refund may apply if the total tax deducted appears higher than expected for your gross pay, often caused by an incorrect tax code. HMRC may issue a P800 automatically. If not, you may generally be able to claim within four tax years of the end of the relevant year.