HMRC Forms Explained: P45, P60, Self Assessment & More

At a glance

• P45: issued by your employer when you leave; hand it to your next employer to avoid emergency tax.
• P60: issued by your employer by 31 May each year; keep it — you may need it for tax returns, refunds or mortgage applications.
• P11D: completed by your employer (not you) to report benefits in kind such as a company car; issued to employees by 6 July.
• Self Assessment deadlines: paper return — 31 October; online return — 31 January; tax payment — 31 January (same deadline as online filing).
• Payments on account: if your tax bill exceeds a threshold, HMRC requires advance payments — first instalment 31 January, second instalment 31 July.
• Late filing penalty: an automatic £100 from day one after the deadline, rising to daily £10 charges (max £900) after three months, plus further percentage-based penalties at six and twelve months.
• P87: claim employment expenses up to £2,500 by post using the official P87 form; above £2,500 requires a Self Assessment return.
• R40: claim a refund of tax deducted from savings or investments; up to four previous tax years available.
• CWF1 / SA1: register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the first tax year you had income to declare.
• IHT400 / excepted estates: most estates with deaths on or after 1 January 2022 no longer need to complete an HMRC IHT form if they qualify as excepted estates; IHT400 applies where Inheritance Tax is due or the estate is non-excepted.

This page is general information. For advice on your specific circumstances, consult a qualified accountant or tax adviser.

PAYE forms — what your employer gives you

Most employees deal with HMRC indirectly: their employer deducts tax and National Insurance under the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system and sends the money to HMRC on their behalf. Three forms document this process.

P45 — leaving a job

When you stop working for an employer, they must give you a P45. It has four parts: your employer keeps Part 1 and sends it to HMRC; you keep Part 1A for your records; Parts 2 and 3 go to your new employer (or to DWP/Jobcentre Plus if you claim benefits).

The P45 tells your new employer your tax code and how much you have earned and paid in tax so far in the tax year. Without it, your new employer will put you on an emergency tax code, which often means paying more tax than necessary until HMRC corrects it.

If your old employer fails to give you a P45, you can ask HMRC for a starter checklist (previously called a P46) to give your new employer as an interim measure. Full guidance: gov.uk/paye-forms-p45-p60-p11d/p45.

P60 — end-of-year summary

If you are employed on 5 April (the last day of the tax year), your employer must give you a P60 by 31 May. It shows your total pay and all deductions for that employer in that tax year.

You will need your P60 if you:

• Complete a Self Assessment tax return (it is your evidence of employment income)
• Claim a tax refund (HMRC needs the figures to check your position)
• Apply for a mortgage or other credit (lenders use it to verify income)

Employers are not required to keep copies, so guard yours carefully. If you lose it, ask your employer for a replacement — they can issue a statement marked "duplicate". Full guidance: gov.uk/paye-forms-p45-p60-p11d/p60.

P11D — benefits in kind

If your employer provides benefits such as a company car, private health insurance, or an interest-free loan, they must report the value to HMRC using form P11D by 6 July after the end of the tax year. You should receive a copy of any P11D prepared for you by the same date.

The figures on your P11D feed into your tax calculation. If you pay tax through PAYE only (no Self Assessment), HMRC uses the P11D to adjust your tax code for the following year. If you file a Self Assessment return, you enter the P11D figures there. You do not complete a P11D yourself — it is your employer's statutory obligation. Full guidance: gov.uk/paye-forms-p45-p60-p11d/p11d.

Self Assessment — the key deadlines and how they fit together

Self Assessment is the system by which individuals report income that is not taxed at source (or income where the tax deducted may not be correct). If you are required to file, the deadlines are strict and the penalties for missing them are automatic.

Who must file

You must register for and file a Self Assessment return if you:

• Are self-employed with gross income over £1,000 in the tax year
• Are a company director
• Have rental income
• Have income from abroad
• Earn over £100,000 in the year
• Have untaxed investment or savings income above relevant thresholds
• Need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge (applicable where you or your partner earned over £60,000 — check GOV.UK, as the threshold was changed in 2024)
• Were sent a notice to file by HMRC

Use the GOV.UK tool at gov.uk/check-if-you-need-tax-return to check your specific position. Even if you think you owe no tax, you may still need to file a return.

The four key dates

| Deadline | What it covers | |---|---| | 5 October (year after the tax year) | Deadline to register for Self Assessment if you have not filed before | | 31 October (year after the tax year) | Deadline for paper tax returns | | 31 January (year after the tax year) | Deadline for online tax returns | | 31 January (same date as online filing) | Deadline for balancing payment of tax owed AND first payment on account for the current year | | 31 July (following the January deadline) | Second payment on account |

For the 2024–25 tax year: paper deadline 31 October 2025; online deadline and tax payment deadline 31 January 2026. Check gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/deadlines for the current year's exact dates.

Payments on account

If your Self Assessment tax bill is above a certain threshold (and less than 80% was collected at source through PAYE), HMRC requires you to make advance payments towards the following year's liability. These are called payments on account and are each set at half your previous year's tax bill.

The first payment on account falls on 31 January (the same day as the balancing payment for the previous year). The second falls on 31 July. If your income turns out to be lower than the previous year, you can apply to reduce your payments on account — but if you reduce them by too much, interest will be charged on the shortfall. Full guidance: gov.uk/understand-self-assessment-bill/payments-on-account.

Penalties for late filing and late payment

The penalty structure for Self Assessment is automatic and escalating:

| Stage | Penalty | |---|---| | Day 1 after filing deadline | £100 fixed penalty (applies even if no tax is owed and even if the tax is paid on time) | | 3 months late | £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900 | | 6 months late | 5% of the tax due, or £300 — whichever is greater | | 12 months late | A further 5% of the tax due, or £300 — whichever is greater |

Interest also accrues on unpaid tax from the payment deadline. If you believe you have a genuine reason for missing the deadline (for example, a serious illness or bereavement), you can appeal against the penalty — HMRC will consider reasonable excuse arguments. Use the GOV.UK penalty estimator at gov.uk/estimate-self-assessment-penalties to see what a late return would cost in your case. Full guidance: gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/penalties.

Registering for Self Assessment — SA1 and CWF1

Before you can file a return, you need a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR). You get one by registering with HMRC. The form you use depends on why you are registering:

• CWF1 — if you are newly self-employed. This registers you for both Self Assessment and Class 2 National Insurance contributions. Available at gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment.
• SA1 — if you need Self Assessment for another reason (rental income, company directorship, investment income) but are not self-employed.

The registration deadline is 5 October after the end of the first tax year in which you had income to declare. If you became self-employed or received rental income for the first time during the 2025–26 tax year, the registration deadline is 5 October 2026. Missing it can itself trigger a penalty even before you file a return.

Amending a return

If you realise you made an error after submitting, you can amend your Self Assessment return through your online account within 12 months of the original filing deadline. After that window closes, you must write to HMRC. Always correct errors promptly — the longer they go uncorrected, the more interest and potential penalties can accumulate.

Claiming tax back — P87 and R40

Not all dealings with HMRC involve paying money. Two forms exist specifically to reclaim tax you have overpaid.

P87 — employment expenses

If you pay tax under PAYE and incur job-related expenses that your employer does not reimburse — professional subscriptions, specialist tools, uniform cleaning, mileage above HMRC's approved amounts — you may be able to reclaim the tax relief using form P87.

Key rules:

• Your total claim for a single tax year must be £2,500 or less. Claims above that threshold require a Self Assessment tax return.
• You must use the official HMRC P87 form for postal claims; HMRC rejects claims submitted on non-standard paper formats.
• You will need evidence: receipts or other proof of the expense (except for flat-rate expenses, which HMRC accepts without individual receipts).
• Working from home: from 6 April 2026, relief for working-from-home costs is no longer available going forward. You can still claim for earlier tax years while those remain open (generally up to four years back). Check the current position at gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees.

Guidance and the form: gov.uk/guidance/claim-income-tax-relief-for-your-employment-expenses-p87.

R40 — tax deducted from savings and investments

If a bank, building society, or investment provider has deducted tax from your savings interest or investment income and you believe you have paid too much (for example, because your total income is below the personal allowance, or you have unused savings allowance), you can reclaim the overpayment using form R40.

You can claim for the current tax year and the previous four tax years, but you must submit a separate R40 for each year. The interactive R40 is available on GOV.UK; completed forms are sent to HMRC PAYE at BX9 1AS. Full guidance: gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-refund-of-income-tax-deducted-from-savings-and-investments.

Inheritance Tax forms — IHT400 and excepted estates

When someone dies, the personal representatives (executors or administrators) are responsible for calculating and paying any Inheritance Tax due and for applying for probate. Which HMRC forms are needed depends on the size and nature of the estate.

Excepted estates (most common since January 2022)

For deaths on or after 1 January 2022, the rules changed significantly. Most straightforward estates that fall within the excepted estate criteria no longer need to complete any HMRC Inheritance Tax form. Personal representatives simply complete the probate application; HMRC does not require a separate IHT form.

An estate qualifies as an excepted estate if (broadly) the total value is below the Inheritance Tax threshold, the deceased was domiciled in the UK, and certain other conditions are met. The thresholds and conditions are set out in full at gov.uk/guidance/reporting-inheritance-tax-for-excepted-estates — always check the current rules before assuming no form is needed.

For deaths before 1 January 2022, the shorter form IHT205 was used for excepted estates. If you are dealing with such an estate, the IHT205 guidance remains available on GOV.UK.

IHT400 — full Inheritance Tax account

If the estate is not an excepted estate — because it is above the threshold, involves trusts, includes assets that attract reliefs such as Business Relief or Agricultural Property Relief, or has other complicating features — the personal representatives must complete form IHT400.

IHT400 is a substantial form with multiple supplementary schedules (IHT401–IHT436, depending on the assets involved). The tax is generally due six months after the end of the month in which the death occurred — interest runs from that date. Some assets (particularly business assets and agricultural property) can be paid in instalments over ten years.

The current IHT400 form and notes are available at gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-inheritance-tax-account-iht400. Given the complexity and the sums typically involved, most people dealing with a taxable estate engage a solicitor or accountant.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax — what is changing

From 6 April 2026, a significant change takes effect for self-employed people and landlords with qualifying income (gross, before expenses) above £50,000. These taxpayers are required to use Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT), which means:

• Keeping digital records using MTD-compatible software
• Submitting quarterly summaries of income and expenses to HMRC
• Filing an end-of-period statement and a final declaration instead of a traditional Self Assessment return

The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027, and to £20,000 from April 2028. If you are approaching any of these thresholds, the time to choose compatible software and adjust your record-keeping is well before the mandation date — not in the week it applies to you. Full guidance: gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-and-when-you-need-to-use-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax.

Your Personal Tax Account — the central hub for most HMRC tasks

HMRC's Personal Tax Account (and, for businesses, the Business Tax Account) is the online portal through which most HMRC interactions now happen. Through it you can:

• File and amend your Self Assessment return
• Check your tax code and Income Tax estimate for the current year
• View and update PAYE details from current and previous employers
• Claim a tax refund if one is due
• Check your National Insurance record and State Pension forecast
• Manage and pay your Self Assessment bill
• Access your P60 and P11D information (where your employer submits digitally)

You will need to sign in with a Government Gateway user ID (or use GOV.UK One Login where available). If you do not yet have an account, you can register at gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services. You will need to verify your identity, typically using a passport or UK driving licence.

How to use this guide

1. Identify what you are trying to achieve. Leaving a job (P45), claiming expenses (P87), registering as self-employed (CWF1), reclaiming savings tax (R40), dealing with an estate (IHT400 or excepted estate) — each task has its own form and its own deadline.
2. Check the current deadline on GOV.UK. Statutory figures (thresholds, penalty amounts, deadlines) can change between tax years. Every link in this guide leads to the authoritative source — always verify current amounts before acting.
3. Gather what you need before you start. You will typically need your National Insurance number, Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) if you have one, P60 or P45 from the relevant year, and records of income and expenses. Having these ready reduces the chance of errors.
4. Submit online where possible. Online submissions through your Personal Tax Account are faster, give instant confirmation, and remove the risk of a postal delay triggering a late-filing penalty.
5. Keep copies of everything. HMRC can ask you to produce records going back several years. Save copies of submitted forms and any confirmation references.
6. Get advice early if your situation is complicated. Inheritance Tax, multiple income sources, offshore assets, or significant employment expense claims are all areas where a qualified accountant or tax adviser will typically pay for themselves.

This guide provides general information about HMRC forms in England, Wales and Scotland. It is not a substitute for professional tax or legal advice on your specific circumstances. The information was accurate as at June 2026 and is subject to change — always verify current figures and deadlines on GOV.UK.