How Long Should You Keep Payslips and P60s?

It’s a question a lot of people only ask after they’ve thrown something away:
How long should you actually keep payslips and P60s?

Whether it’s for tax, benefits, or a surprise mortgage application, keeping the right records can save a lot of stress later. Here’s the simple answer — and the reasons behind it.

The Short Answer

You should keep:

• Payslips → at least 6 years
• P60s → at least 6 years

Digital copies are perfectly acceptable — and often easier to store and retrieve.

Why 6 Years Matters

HMRC can ask questions about your income and tax records up to 6 years after the end of a tax year.

Keeping your payslips and P60s allows you to:

• Prove how much you earned
• Show how much tax and NI you paid
• Correct errors if HMRC queries your records
• Support benefit or tax credit claims

If you can’t provide evidence, sorting things out becomes much harder.

When You Might Be Asked for Old Records

You may need older payslips or P60s when:

• Applying for a mortgage or loan
• Renting a property
• Claiming benefits
• Requesting a tax refund
• Challenging an HMRC decision
• Proving income for legal or financial reasons

Some lenders ask for income history going back several years — especially if you’re self-employed or have variable income.

Payslips vs P60s – What’s the Difference for Record Keeping?

• Payslips show month-by-month detail
• P60s show the annual summary

Together, they give a complete picture of your earnings.
Your final payslip of the tax year should always match your P60 — that’s why keeping both is useful.

Is It OK to Keep Digital Copies?

Yes — digital copies are absolutely fine.
HMRC, banks, and lenders all accept electronic records, as long as they’re clear and unaltered.

Good practice:

• Save PDFs with clear filenames (e.g. P60_2024-25.pdf)
• Back them up in secure cloud storage
• Avoid screenshots — full documents are better

When Can You Safely Dispose of Them?

Once records are over 6 years old, most people can safely dispose of them.

However, you may want to keep them longer if:

• You’re self-employed
• You have complex tax affairs
• You expect future pension or earnings checks

When disposing of paper copies, always shred them — they contain sensitive personal data.

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