Keeping your pay and tax records
Employees and limited company directors
Income from employment
You should keep documents about your pay and tax, including:
- your P45 - if you leave your job, this shows your pay and tax to the date you left
- your P60 - if you’re in a job on 5 April, this shows your pay and tax for the tax year
- form P11D - this shows your expenses and benefits, like a company car or health insurance
- certificates for any Taxed Award Schemes
- information about any redundancy or termination payment
Contact your employer if you do not have your P60, P45 or form P11D.
You should also keep details of any other income or benefits from your job, including:
- any tips received (unless your employer pays them through the ‘tronc’ system, which means they will have deducted tax already)
- benefits you get in connection with your job from someone other than your employer, like meal vouchers
- any lump sum payments not included on your P60 or P45, like incentive payments or ‘golden hellos’ (payments you get to encourage you to take a new job)
Expense records
If you’ve had to pay for things like tools for work, travel costs or specialist clothing for work, you may be able to claim for these to reduce the tax you’ll have to pay. You need to keep a record of these so you can include them in your tax return.
Benefits records
You should keep any documents relating to:
- social security benefits
- Statutory Sick Pay
- Statutory Maternity, Paternity or Adoption Pay
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income from employee share schemes or share-related benefits
You should keep:
- copies of share option certificates and exercise notices
- letters about any changes to your options
- information about what you paid for your shares and the relevant dates
- details of any benefits you’ve received as an employee shareholder