Can I Get a Copy of My P45 From HMRC?

A P45 contains important information about a person’s previous employment, earnings and Income Tax, so losing it can create concern, particularly when starting a new job.

This leads to a common question: can I get a copy of my P45 from HMRC?

The simple answer is no. HMRC does not provide a replacement P45 if the original has been lost. GOV.UK states that if someone loses their P45, or their former employer says it was sent but they did not receive it, they cannot obtain a replacement.

However, this does not mean the information is permanently unavailable. Someone who needs their previous pay or tax details may be able to access them through their Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app.

If they need a P45 because they are starting another job, they can usually complete an HMRC starter checklist instead.

What Is a P45 and Why Is It Important?

A P45 is a PAYE document normally given to an employee when they leave a job. It records key information that helps HMRC and a future employer understand how much the individual has earned and how much Income Tax has already been deducted during the tax year.

A P45 normally shows:

• The employee’s leaving date
• Total pay from 6 April to the date they left
• Income Tax deducted
• The tax code used
• National Insurance number
• Relevant personal information

The employer should provide the P45 when employment ends. When the employee starts another job, the new employer can use the document to work out the correct PAYE tax deductions.

With a paper P45, the employee usually keeps Part 1A and gives Parts 2 and 3 to their new employer.

Can HMRC Send Me Another Copy of My P45?

No. HMRC cannot simply issue another P45 to replace one that has been lost.

Although employers report payroll information to HMRC, the P45 itself is produced in connection with the employee leaving their job. HMRC therefore does not operate a service where someone can request a duplicate of a lost P45.

GOV.UK specifically explains that if a P45 has been lost, or an employer says it was sent but the employee never received it, a replacement cannot be obtained.

Instead, the appropriate solution depends on why the P45 is required.

In most cases, the information someone actually needs can therefore be obtained without receiving another copy of the original P45.

What Should I Do If I Have Lost My P45?

The first step is to establish whether the P45 was genuinely lost or whether it may still be available through the previous employer.

It is worth checking:

• Previous emails from the employer
• The employer’s payroll portal
• Online payslip systems
• Documents downloaded when leaving
• Paperwork received with the final payslip
• Postal correspondence sent to the employee’s previous address

Some employers provide P45 information electronically, so checking an old payroll account may solve the problem.

If the P45 has genuinely been lost, there is no need to panic. The employee can use alternative HMRC records or a starter checklist depending on what they need the information for.

Can I Download My P45 From My HMRC Account?

Not as a replacement P45.

Someone cannot normally sign in to their Personal Tax Account and download a duplicate of the original P45 issued by their employer.

However, HMRC allows people to view and download pay and tax details for the last five tax years through their Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app.

These records can be particularly useful if someone only needs to confirm:

• How much they earned
• How much Income Tax they paid
• Who employed them
• PAYE information from previous years

Therefore, while the actual P45 may not be available, much of the underlying financial information can still be accessed online.

How Can I Find My Employment History Through HMRC?

HMRC provides an employment history service that can be useful when a P45 is no longer available.

Individuals can access a record covering the current and previous five years of employment through:

• Their Personal Tax Account
• The HMRC app

After signing in, they can navigate to their PAYE Income Tax records to view their employment information.

HMRC also provides a paper application process for people who require employment records from other years.

Employment history may be useful for purposes including loan applications, work visa renewals and certain compensation claims.

This makes HMRC employment records one of the most practical alternatives when the original P45 has disappeared.

What Should I Give a New Employer If I Do Not Have a P45?

Someone starting a new job without a P45 should normally complete an HMRC starter checklist.

The starter checklist provides the employer with information needed to set the employee up correctly on payroll.

A new employer can use the checklist to:

• Add the employee to payroll
• Work out the initial tax code
• Calculate Income Tax deductions
• Determine relevant student loan deductions
• Determine postgraduate loan deductions
• Tell HMRC that the employee has started working for them

HMRC’s current guidance specifically says employees starting a new job without a P45 should use the starter checklist.

The checklist is especially important because the answers can affect the tax code initially applied to the employee’s wages.

Can I Start a New Job Without My P45?

Yes. A P45 is not required for someone to begin a new job.

A missing or lost P45 does not prevent an employer from adding a new employee to payroll or paying their wages.

Where a P45 is unavailable, the employer can collect starter information instead. HMRC requires employers to report appropriate starter information through PAYE when an employee does not provide a P45.

The employee should therefore tell their employer that they do not have the document rather than delaying their start date while trying to obtain a replacement that HMRC cannot provide.

Will I Pay Emergency Tax If I Do Not Have a P45?

Not necessarily.

A missing P45 can make it harder for a new employer to know someone’s existing tax position immediately.

However, completing the starter checklist accurately gives the employer information that can be used to determine the appropriate initial tax code.

HMRC explains that the starter checklist is used to help an employer work out the tax code for an employee’s first pay when they do not have a P45.

Employees should make sure the information they provide is accurate and then check their first payslip.

Particular attention should be paid to:

• The tax code
• Gross pay
• Income Tax deducted
• National Insurance contributions
• Student loan deductions, where relevant

If the tax code appears incorrect, the employee can check their Income Tax details through HMRC’s online services.

What Should I Do If My Previous Employer Never Gave Me a P45?

This situation is different from simply losing the document.

If someone leaves a job and their previous employer never provided a P45, GOV.UK advises them to ask the former employer for one.

The employee should contact the employer’s payroll or HR department and explain that the document has not been received.

Before doing so, it may be worth checking whether it was sent:

• By post
• By email
• Through a payroll portal
• Alongside the final payslip

An outdated home or email address can sometimes explain why a document was not received.

If someone needs to start another job before the issue is resolved, they can normally complete the starter checklist rather than waiting for the P45.

What Should I Do If My P45 Has the Wrong Information?

The correct action depends on what is incorrect.

If the pay or Income Tax figures are wrong, HMRC advises the employee to ask their previous employer to correct the information and send an amended P45.

If the employer cannot provide an amended P45, the individual can report the incorrect information through HMRC’s Income Tax online service. HMRC may then contact the employer for the correct details.

If the problem concerns the tax code, HMRC says it should normally be updated after the employee starts their new job and receives their first pay.

If personal information on the P45 is wrong, the employee can provide corrected information to the new employer through the starter checklist and update their details with HMRC where necessary.

Can I Use a P60 Instead of a Lost P45?

A P45 and P60 contain some similar pay and tax information, but they serve different purposes.

A P45 is issued when an employee leaves their job.

A P60 provides an end-of-tax-year summary for an employee who is still employed by that employer at the end of the tax year.

Therefore, a P60 does not simply become a replacement P45.

However, if someone needs evidence of annual earnings or Income Tax paid, a P60 may sometimes contain the financial information required by the organisation requesting evidence.

The exact document required will depend on why proof is being requested.

Can I Use My Final Payslip Instead of a P45?

A final payslip can be useful evidence of earnings, but it is not technically the same document as a P45.

It may show information such as:

• Gross salary
• Taxable pay
• PAYE deductions
• National Insurance
• Tax code
• Year-to-date earnings

If a bank, mortgage provider, solicitor or another organisation has specifically requested a P45, it is worth asking whether a final payslip or HMRC employment record would be accepted instead.

For a new employer, however, the recognised alternative to a missing P45 is generally the HMRC starter checklist.

How Does a P45 Differ From HMRC Employment Records?

Although both can provide employment information, they are not interchangeable documents.

Someone who only needs to establish previous earnings or employment may therefore find HMRC records more useful than trying to recover an unavailable P45.

Why Might Someone Need Their Old P45?

There are several reasons someone may search for an old P45 long after leaving a job.

These can include:

• Starting another job
• Checking whether PAYE tax was correct
• Applying for a mortgage
• Providing evidence of earnings
• Completing financial paperwork
• Checking previous employment
• Resolving a tax discrepancy
• Keeping personal financial records

The correct alternative will depend on the purpose.

For a new job, use the starter checklist if the P45 is unavailable.

For employment history, use HMRC records.

For pay and tax details, check the Personal Tax Account or HMRC app.

For a P45 that was never issued, contact the previous employer.

FAQs About Replacing a P45

Can I ask HMRC to email me my P45?

No. HMRC does not provide replacement P45s by email or through the Personal Tax Account. Pay and tax information may still be available through HMRC’s online services.

Can my old employer give me my P45?

If the employer never gave you your P45 when you left, you should ask them for it. GOV.UK specifically advises contacting the previous employer in this situation.

What happens if my employer says my P45 was already sent?

If the employer says it was sent but you did not receive it, HMRC guidance says you cannot obtain a replacement. A starter checklist or HMRC pay and tax records can be used depending on what you need.

Do I legally need a P45 for my next job?

You do not need to have a P45 to start another job. If one is unavailable, your new employer can use information from the HMRC starter checklist.

Can I see previous employers on my HMRC account?

Yes. HMRC says a record of the current and previous five years’ employment can be accessed through a Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app.

Can I get an old P45 from several years ago?

HMRC cannot issue a replacement P45. However, previous employment information may still be available through HMRC’s employment history service, including a paper application process for records outside the period available online.

What should I do if I need a P45 urgently?

If it is needed for a new job, tell the employer that the P45 is unavailable and complete the HMRC starter checklist. If it is needed as evidence of previous earnings, check whether HMRC pay and tax records, payslips or a P60 will be accepted.