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What is the Difference Between P45 and P60?

12 Dec 2024


Individuals living in the UK must consider the difference between P45 and P60 to maintain checks on their finances and make a global online money transfer. P45 and P60 are two legal documents commonly used in the UK. Each of the papers serves a different purpose. However, both are related to the overall salary and tax ratio to the wage. Finding the difference will help you stay prepared about the tax system for the UK. The UK is one of the largest tax-receiving countries. In the 2023-24 tax year, the taxes in the UK increased to 273.3 billion.

In the UK, your income tax depends on your salary. If you have an annual income of more than £12,571 to £50,270, you must pay 20% income tax. The employees of the UK receive two kinds of documents related to taxes, P45 and P60. P60 is issued at the end of the tax year on 5th April. It provides you with the details of your annual income and the percentage of tax deducted from your salary. In contrast, you receive P45 when you resign from any organization. It also briefs the summary of your income and taxes. Let's have a broad discussion on it:

Common Differences Between P45 Vs. P60

P45 vs P60 are legal documents that serve almost the same purpose but have different purposes, values, timing, and specifications. Scroll down to know what's the difference between a p45 and a p60:

What is P45?

P45 is a legal document. Each organization issues this document when an employee plans to leave the organization. P45 contains all the necessary information about the income and taxes deducted from it. Usually, an organization has to deduct income tax and insurance from the employee's salary. So, P45 contains all the details of an individual's salary until he has worked in a company or organization. You may also want to learn what does p45 look like. A P45 comes in 4 parts:

Part 1 - HMRC Copy

HMRC stands for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. An employer of an organization has to submit a copy of P45 to HMRC so that his work details may remain secure at HMRC. P45 United Kingdom contains all the necessary information about your employment duration, name, position, salary, and the tax you paid during your income.

Part 1 A - Employee Copy

When you leave your job, you receive a copy of P45. The purpose of P45 is to inform you about your income details and the taxes implied on it. You can use this copy in the future to clarify documents or to claim tax returns.

Part 2 - New Employer Copy

During the new hiring, another copy of P45 will be given to your employer so he can learn about your tax history. It allows them to set up your payroll correctly. Moreover, it protects you from over and underpayments.

Part 3 - Another New Employer Copy

Unlike P60 P45 comes with a 4th copy, which is also for a new employer. The new employer again gives it to HMRC to inform them about your new hiring.

What is P60?

P60 is a document issued at the end of the tax year. Every organization gives it to all employees so they can know how much they earned in the whole year and how much taxes are deducted. A P60 has no parts or portions like a P45, which signifies the major difference between P60 and P45.

Important Points of P60

Every employee receives P60 each year at the end of the tax year. You will receive a P60 from each company if you have more than one job. A P60 contains your personal information, including your full, insurance, and reference numbers.

It contains the employer's information and contact details; P60 is proof that you have regularly paid your income tax.

What is the significant difference between P45 and P60?

There are many significant differences between P60 and P45, such as:

P60 is given yearly, whereas you only get P45 once from a company when you leave it. P60 is just a single paper given to the employee only. P45 comes in numerous parts. Employers issue specific parts of P45 United Kingdom to HMRC, employees, and the next employer.

P60 is issued to provide the employee proof of paid taxation, whereas P45 is given to the employee to show the taxation discontinued from the previous company to avoid over deductions.

When does an Individual receive P45 and P60?

P45 and P60 both have a different purpose and different issuance times:

P45

Employees get P45 usually on the last day of their job or when they quit a certain job. It does not matter if the tax year has been completed or not. If you resign, you will have P45.

P60

Employees get P60 every year on the 5th of April.

Significance of P45 and P60 Documents

In the UK, P45 and P60 both hold great importance. All UK employees have to pay several types of taxes, such as income tax. Read more about income tax policies in the UK to get more information. This tax is automatically deducted from the salaries of the employees. P60 and P45 are important because both of them contain the taxation record. Both must make claims for tax refinement or secure a new job. P45 is important so that:

  • Employees can get jobs in the new organization
  • Show their tax submission status
  • To inform HMRC about the resignation or joining of a new organization
  • It helps to keep the proof of the taxes you paid during the tax years or before the completion of the tax year.
  • P60 documents are essential so that:
  • Employees can check their annual income, manage their expenses, and make a money transfer accordingly.
  • Employees can have a record of growth or deduction of salaries
  • Employees can claim a refund of taxes when needed

You must know when do you get a p60 so you can have proof of tax paid each year

What Information P45 contains?

  • Total earnings from the beginning to the leaving date
  • Dates of tax deduction
  • Amount of tax deduction
  • Annual Employee pay
  • Tax code
  • Employers info
  • Transfer of your tax to the next employer

What information P60 contains

  • Total income of an individual earned in one tax year
  • Total payment of the tax from income
  • Verification of tax payments
  • In the UK, it is necessary to have P60 to get loans or other benefits

Detailed Differences Between P45 and P60

Although both are tax documents, there is a difference between p60 and p45.

Purpose

The purpose is to record taxes deducted from an employee's income. Whereas P45 contains the employer's information, P45 summarizes the employee's earnings from the first working day to the last. It includes the income of the overall duration, including tax deductions. However, the purpose of P60 is to keep the employees updated about their annual tax deductions from their salaries. It indicated the clear difference between P45 and P60.

Info

Both documents contain a summary of taxes. P60 only discusses the value of tax over income. In contrast, P45 contains all the necessary information about the employee and employer and acts as a record.

Issued By

The employer of the organization issues both documents. The only difference between P60 and P45 is that the employer issues P60 each year to all employees. On the other hand, the employer issues P45 only for employees who have resigned. 

Used For

A P45 is used to secure new jobs. It ensures that your new employer calculates the correct tax code. It is also required when claiming tax refunds. A P60 serves as an annual record for financial verifications, like loan applications or confirming tax payments.

What Happens if You Don’t Have a P45 or P60?

If you don't receive a P45 or P60 from your last job, you may face problems getting a new job. The employer may only hire you with appropriate tax status. If the employer hires you, they may have to generate an emergency tax code. Moreover, you may have to pay additional taxes due to incomplete tax proof. If your employer does not provide you with a P60, you can request it directly from the company. Employers must provide P60 and P45 to their employees.

Common Issues with P45 and P60

Employees working in the UK must be careful while receiving P45 and P60. Sometimes, employers may make errors while issuing the document. Firstly, you must understand what is the difference between P45 and P60. Moreover, you must know when to receive which document to avoid these issues.

Incorrect Information

Often, P45 and P65 contain wrong information, such as the wrong taxation ID or reference number. Individuals must inform the employer quickly to resolve the error. This error can create issues in fulfilling the requirements, as you cannot claim a tax refund with the wrong tax document. Moreover, you may need a clearer tax history, which can be problematic. So, learn about your tax obligations while living in the UK.

Late Issuance

Late issuance can also be another problem for employees. It can cause problems getting a new job or increase the taxation gap. So, if your employer is delaying your P45 and P60, you must directly state your concerns to the company.

Issuance of Digital Digital P45 and P60

With technological advancement, UK companies have started issuing P45 and P60 digitally. Individuals must keep a record of all their P60 documents. It helps you to have an estimate of your financial budget. Immigrants living in the UK must record their legal documents to avoid any issues. Receiving P60 annually also helps you to know how much tax is deducted from your pay how to manage your monthly expenses, and how to make an online money transfer from the UK. 

Benefits of Having P45 and P60

  • P45 and P60 have numerous benefits for the individuals of the UK:
  • P45 helps you get a new job without any problems with tax clearance
  • P45 is beneficial in avoiding emergency tax codes.
  • P45 enables you to claim a refund of your taxes
  • P45 helps the employers to calculate overall tax.
  • P60 enables you to get a loan because lenders often require your P60 as proof of income.
  • P60 verifies that you are a tax resident and you pay tax yearly.

Is it Possible to Get P45 and P60 together?

It happens only in rare cases, but yes, you can get a P45 and P60 together if an employee plans to leave the job on the completion of the tax year on 5th April. The employer will issue you both P45 and P60. You can request a P45 anytime after leaving the job, but you cannot get a P60 before the completion of the tax year.

P45 and P60 are two crucial documents that every employee in the UK receives from their employers. Both documents show the employee's taxation record. P45 shows the overall income and taxes an individual has paid while working in a company. On the other hand, each individual working in a company receives P60 every year. It demonstrates how much taxes are deducted from the annual salary.

Mastering P45 and P60: Your Guide to UK Tax Essentials

P45 and P60 are two important legal documents. These documents contain information about the taxes. In the UK, you have to pay several taxes. Income tax is an integral part of the UK’s tax system. The UK employer automatically deducts it as per the instructions of the HMRC. The company's employer issues P60 every year, and it is given to all the employees working in the organization. It contains information about how much a person has earned and how much tax is paid through his salary. This document helps individuals track their financials to save and plan ways to send money globally.

Often, people need clarification on the difference between P60 and P45. P45 is also a legal document containing an individual's tax payment. It is only given when a person leaves his job. It records all the days he worked and earned in an organization. Both these documents are necessary because you must have a straightforward tax history to enjoy benefits like loans and tax refunds. Please complete all documents to avoid problems for you. You must contact the employer if the document needs to be correctly issued.

FAQs

What is P45 and P60?

P45 and P60 are two legal documents commonly used in the UK. They contain an individual's income and tax information. Both documents are issued on different occasions and serve multiple purposes.

What is the difference between P45 and P60?

An employee gets P45 when he leaves a working institute in the UK. It contains overall data from the first to the last day about an individual's earnings and tax payments within a company. Meanwhile, P65 only talks about earnings and taxes a person makes in a year.

What if I don't get a P60?

You must contact your employer if you don't get a P60 or if it is delayed. You need to receive a P60 so you can have a record of the income tax payments; otherwise, you may suffer from additional tax payments.

Is it necessary to have P45 and P60?

Yes, having P45 and P60 is necessary to record your income tax history. These documents are required to find a new job. Also, your tax history will be doubted, and you may suffer consequences.

How to manage finances and money transfers while living in the UK?

You can manage your finances by learning about mandatory taxes and saving money for critical times. You can easily send money from the UK to other countries through banks or ACE Money Transfer.


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