Knowing how to get a P60 online could save you considerable time and frustration when you need this document quickly.
Whether you need to know how to get a P60 online for a mortgage application, a benefit claim, or a self-assessment tax return, the good news is that several reliable routes may be available to you.
Your P60 is an end-of-year summary issued by your employer after each tax year ends on 5 April.
It records your total earnings and the income tax deducted under PAYE, making it one of the most frequently requested documents in UK personal finance.
This guide explains how to get a P60 online through your employer’s digital portal, through your HMRC personal tax account, and through the HMRC app.
It also covers what to do when digital routes are unavailable, how to preserve documents once you have them, and the retention periods HMRC recommends.
By the end, you should have a clear picture of the steps most likely to work for your situation.
How to Get a P60 Online Via Your Employer Portal
For many employees, the quickest route to a digital P60 is through their employer’s payroll or HR self-service system.
Larger organisations often distribute P60s exclusively through secure portals — platforms such as Sage HR, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, or ADP — rather than in paper form.
Follow these steps to find your P60 through your employer portal:
- Log in to your company’s employee self-service area using your usual work credentials.
- Look for a section labelled “Payslips and Documents”, “Tax Documents”, or “Year-End Statements”.
- Select the relevant tax year — P60s cover the year ending 5 April, so confirm you are viewing the correct one.
- Download the P60 as a PDF and save it to a secure location, rather than relying on continued portal access.
If you cannot locate the relevant section, a quick message to your payroll or HR team should clarify whether a portal exists and how to access it.
How to Get a P60 Online Using Your HMRC Personal Tax Account
Your HMRC personal tax account is the most versatile option, particularly if you have changed employers or no longer have access to a previous employer’s portal.
HMRC does not issue a formal digital P60, but the “Pay As You Earn” section of your account contains the same core information: your total pay and the tax deducted for each employer in each tax year.
Here is how to access your P60 data through this route:
- Visit the HMRC website and sign in with your Government Gateway user ID and password.
- If you do not yet have a Government Gateway account, create one using your national insurance number and a valid identity document such as a passport or driving licence.
- Once signed in, navigate to “PAYE Income Tax History” to view employment income and tax paid records.
- Select the relevant tax year to see the figures that would appear on your P60.
- Print or save the page — many mortgage lenders and benefit agencies accept this output in place of a physical P60, though it is worth confirming this before submitting.
Several years of data are often available, which could prove useful if you need figures from a tax year for which you no longer hold original documents.
Using the HMRC App to View Your P60 Information
The HMRC app offers a mobile-friendly alternative that performs much the same function as the desktop personal tax account, available for both iOS and Android.
After downloading and signing in with your Government Gateway details, you could access the following information at any time of day:
- Employment income and tax paid, broken down by tax year and employer.
- Your current and historical tax codes.
- Your national insurance contribution record.
- Any outstanding tax balances or repayments due.
The app’s around-the-clock availability is a practical advantage — you could check your figures outside normal working hours without waiting for a paper document or contacting your employer directly.
When You Cannot Get a P60 Online
Digital access is not always possible, and in some cases you may need a formally issued paper document rather than online data.
In those situations, two reliable options exist: requesting a replacement from your employer, or contacting HMRC directly.
Requesting a replacement from your employer
Contacting your payroll or HR department by email tends to be the most efficient approach, as it creates a written record.
Include the following details in your message to speed up the process:
- Your full name as it appears on your payroll records.
- Your employee or payroll number.
- Your national insurance number.
- The specific tax year you need the P60 for (e.g. ‘2024/25 tax year’).
Employers are required under HMRC rules to issue a P60 to every employee who was on the payroll on 5 April, so this request is entirely within your rights.
If you have left the company but were employed on that date, your former employer remains responsible for providing the document.
Requesting a statement of earnings from HMRC
For situations where an employer is no longer trading or simply unresponsive, HMRC may be able to provide a statement of earnings by post.
Call HMRC’s PAYE helpline on 0300 200 3300 (Monday to Friday) and ask specifically for a statement of earnings covering the relevant tax year.
Common Misunderstandings About How to Get a P60 Online
A number of widespread misconceptions can make this process more confusing than it needs to be.
The following points clarify the most common ones:
- HMRC does not issue P60s directly. It is your employer’s responsibility to produce and issue this document. HMRC only holds the underlying data, which it displays through the personal tax account.
- You cannot download a P60 from the HMRC website. HMRC does not generate or host P60 documents in a downloadable format. The platform shows equivalent data rather than reproducing the original form.
- You are not entitled to a P60 if you left your job before 5 April. In that case, your employer would have issued a P45 when you left, and a P60 is not produced for that employment.
- Not every lender accepts HMRC account printouts in place of a P60. However, many do — so it is worth confirming what is accepted before submitting to avoid unnecessary delays.
How to Keep Your P60 Safe Once You Have It
Retrieving a replacement P60 takes time, so protecting the documents you already hold could save significant inconvenience later.
A practical approach combines secure digital storage with a physical backup.
Digital storage tips
- Save P60s in a cloud storage service such as Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive, protected by a strong password and two-factor authentication.
- Avoid storing sensitive documents on unencrypted USB drives, which could be lost or accessed without your knowledge.
- Keep a dedicated folder labelled by tax year so documents are easy to find when needed.
Paper storage tips
- Store P60s in a dedicated folder alongside other key financial documents, in a dry location away from direct sunlight.
- Because P60s contain your national insurance number, employer details, and earnings history, treat them with the same care as bank statements.
- When disposing of old P60s beyond any required retention period, shred paper copies rather than placing them in a recycling bin.
How to Get a P60 Online May Depend on How Long You’ve Kept Records
Understanding recommended retention periods tends to inform how proactively people manage their P60s.
HMRC generally recommends the following retention periods:
- Keep P60s for at least three years after the end of the tax year they relate to for general tax reference purposes.
- Retain P60s for at least 22 months after the end of the relevant tax year if you file a self-assessment return on time.
- If a self-assessment return was filed late, keep related documents for at least 15 months after submission.
- Self-employed individuals with PAYE income may need to retain P60s for up to five years and ten months from the end of the relevant tax year.
- Those who are retired may benefit from retaining P60s indefinitely, as they can serve as evidence of national insurance contributions.
Keeping records beyond the minimum recommended period is unlikely to cause problems and could prove valuable if discrepancies arise.
Final Thoughts on How to Get a P60 Online
In most cases, knowing how to get a P60 online comes down to two straightforward checks: your employer’s self-service portal and your HMRC personal tax account.
Both routes may provide the earnings and tax information you need, often without the delay of waiting for a paper replacement.
Where online access is unavailable, your employer’s payroll team or HMRC’s helpline could provide a formal replacement or statement of earnings.
Whatever route you take, downloading and storing a copy securely at the time tends to prevent the same problem recurring in future.
Key Takeaways for your P60
- Your employer’s HR or payroll portal is often the fastest way to access a digital P60, particularly for current and recent employees.
- Your HMRC personal tax account and the HMRC app both display employment income and tax paid data that closely mirrors what your P60 contains.
- HMRC does not issue or host downloadable P60 documents; the personal tax account shows equivalent data rather than reproducing the original form.
- If digital access is unavailable, you could request a replacement from your employer or a statement of earnings from HMRC by calling 0300 200 3300.
- Retention periods for P60s vary by circumstance, though keeping them for a minimum of three to six years is a generally prudent approach.
- Storing P60s in password-protected cloud storage and shredding old paper copies may help protect against identity fraud.
Find Your P60 Online FAQs
Q: Can I get a P60 online directly from HMRC?
A: HMRC does not issue or reproduce P60 documents in a downloadable format. Your HMRC personal tax account shows the same employment income and tax paid information that appears on a P60, but it presents this as live account data rather than a formal document. Many organisations accept a printout of this data in place of a physical P60, though it is worth confirming this before submitting.
Q: How do I view my P60 online through my employer?
A: Log in to your employer’s HR or payroll self-service portal and look for a section labelled “Tax Documents”, “Payslips”, or “Year-End Statements”. Many larger employers distribute P60s exclusively through these portals rather than in paper form. If you cannot locate the relevant section, your payroll or HR team should be able to advise on access.
Q: What if I need a P60 for a previous employer?
A: You could contact your former employer’s payroll or HR department and request a replacement, provided you were employed on 5 April of the relevant tax year. Alternatively, your HMRC personal tax account may display the equivalent income and tax data for previous employers. If the former employer is no longer trading, HMRC may be able to provide a statement of earnings.
Q: How long should I keep my P60?
A: For most employees, HMRC recommends retaining P60s for at least three years after the end of the relevant tax year. Those who file self-assessment returns may need to keep records for longer. Self-employed individuals with PAYE income could need to retain P60s for up to five years and ten months from the end of the relevant tax year.
Q: Does the HMRC app show P60 information?
A: Yes, the HMRC app displays employment income and tax paid records by tax year, which covers the same information that typically appears on a P60. The app is available for both iOS and Android and requires a Government Gateway account to sign in. It may be a useful option for checking figures outside normal business hours when other routes are unavailable.
