23/03/2026
Do you get confused with all the "P" numbers you hear mentioned with payroll? Some of these references have been around for decades. Many are in common use but some might not be so familiar.
Here is our quick guide to some common ones:
P45 - you get this form when you leave a job. You keep parts of this form for your own records and pass on parts to your new employer. It is really important to pass this on as it helps keep your personal tax in order.
P60 - at the end of the tax year (5 April) this gives you a summary of all you have earned in the year and how much tax and NIC you have paid. You should keep these indefinitely.
P46 - this is a checklist for employers which they complete for new staff.
P11 - this is a form (usually digital now) that you employer keeps for each employee to keep track on earnings, tax and NIC.
P32 - this is a employer summary of what PAYE and NIC they owe to HMRC.
P11D - this is a record of all the benefits you have had from your employer in a tax year (such as a company car, health insurance etc..).
P11D(b) - this is a summary for your employer of all the Employers NIC they have to pay on benefits they provide their employees.
Payroll can be treated like the unloved cousin of the accounting world, but it is, in our opinion, the most important one as this is how a company pays their staff for the work they do. And there is nothing more important to a business than its people.
So if you are not sure what a "P" number is then ask your accountant the question "Q" š
The only 'stupid' question is the one you did not ask!
Anyone else wonder what happened to all the P numbers between these? šµļøāāļø
