P60 Explained — What Is a P60 and Why You Need It

What Is a P60?

A P60 is a summary of your pay and deductions for the entire tax year (6 April to 5 April). Your employer is legally required to give you one at the end of each tax year, and it covers everything you've earned and paid in tax, National Insurance, and other deductions during that 12-month period.

Think of it as your annual payslip. While your monthly or weekly payslip shows a snapshot for one pay period, the P60 pulls together the full picture for the year. If you were employed on 5 April (the last day of the tax year), your employer must provide you with a P60.

Since April 2019, employers can issue P60s electronically rather than on paper, so you may receive yours as a PDF via email or through your company's payroll portal.

What Information Does a P60 Show?

Your P60 contains several key pieces of information that summarise your employment for the tax year:

• Your total pay — your gross earnings for the tax year before deductions, and separately your taxable pay after your personal allowance has been applied
• Total income tax paid — the total amount of income tax deducted from your pay across the year through PAYE
• National Insurance contributions — the employee NI you've paid, along with your NI category letter (usually "A" for most workers)
• Student loan deductions — if you're repaying a student loan through your wages, the total amount deducted will be shown here
• Employer details — your employer's name, PAYE reference number, and their address
• Your tax code — the tax code used at the end of the tax year (most commonly 1257L)
• Your National Insurance number — your unique NI number used by HMRC to track your contributions and tax record

When Do You Get Your P60?

Your employer must give you your P60 by 31 May after the end of the tax year. So for the 2025/26 tax year (which runs from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026), you should receive your P60 by 31 May 2026 at the latest.

Many employers issue P60s sooner, often alongside the April payslip. If yours is late, raise it with your payroll department. There's no excuse for missing the deadline — it's a legal requirement.

You only receive a P60 if you were still employed on the final day of the tax year (5 April). If you left that job before 5 April, you'll receive a P45 instead.

Why Your P60 Matters

Your P60 is more than just a piece of paper. It's an important financial document that you may need throughout the year for several reasons:

• Self Assessment tax returns — if you need to file a tax return (for example, because you earn over £150,000, have rental income, or are self-employed alongside your job), you'll need the figures from your P60 to complete it accurately
• Mortgage applications — lenders typically ask for your last two or three P60s as proof of income when you apply for a mortgage or remortgage
• Benefit claims — if you're applying for tax credits, Universal Credit, or other means-tested benefits, you may need your P60 to prove your income
• Proving your income — landlords, loan providers, and credit card companies may ask for a P60 as evidence of your earnings
• Checking your tax is correct — comparing your P60 against your own records or your payslips lets you spot if you've been overtaxed or undertaxed during the year

What To Do If Your P60 Is Wrong

If you spot an error on your P60, act quickly. Common mistakes include the wrong tax code being used, incorrect total pay figures, or missing student loan deductions.

Your first step should be to contact your employer's payroll department. They can check their records and issue a corrected P60 if there's been an error on their side. Most mistakes stem from incorrect information being entered into the payroll system.

If your employer can't resolve the issue, or if you believe your tax code itself was wrong throughout the year, contact HMRC directly. You can call them on 0300 200 3300 or use your Personal Tax Account online. HMRC can review your tax record and issue a refund if you've overpaid.

Lost Your P60?

Your employer cannot issue a duplicate P60, but they can provide a letter or statement confirming the same figures. This is usually accepted by mortgage lenders and other organisations that need proof of income.

Alternatively, you can find the same information through your HMRC Personal Tax Account. Once logged in, you can view your income and tax details for previous years, which gives you the same figures shown on your P60.

Going forward, it's worth saving a digital copy of each year's P60 as soon as you receive it. Whether your employer sends it electronically or on paper, keep a backup somewhere safe so you always have it when you need it.

Related Guides

Learn more about your pay and tax with these guides:

• How to Read Your Payslip — understand every line on your monthly payslip
• How Tax Codes Work — what your tax code means and why it matters
• P45 Explained — what you get when you leave a job
• Take Home Pay Calculator — check exactly what you'll earn after tax